MOSCOW, July 18. /TASS/. Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov has inspected the progress in combat operations by the Battlegroup West, the Defense Ministry has said. 

Gerasimov noted that the Russian Armed Forces continue the liberation of Donbass and Novorossiya, advancing on all fronts.

TASS compiled the highlights of Gerasimov's statements.

In the Battlegroup West’s Area of Rresponsibility

The Battlegroup West is advancing on a broad front within its zone of responsibility. In the Kupyansk area, having repelled the enemy's unsuccessful attempts to break through to the western part of Kupyansk and push the Russian Armed Forces to the eastern bank of the Oskol River, the assault units of the group are advancing westward toward Shevchenkovo.

In the area south of Borovaya, the elimination of Ukrainian forces on the eastern bank of the Oskol River continues. Street fighting is ongoing in Podliman.

The main objective of the battlegroup West is to liberate DPR territory in conjunction with the battlegroups South and Center forces.

Units of the 25th Army are completing the liberation of the city of Krasny Liman, which is crucial for further operations in this direction. The organized enemy defense in the city has been broken, and isolated pockets of resistance are being wiped out.

Furthermore, the group's units are successfully advancing in the Svyatyie Gory National Park and are destroying enemy forces in Svyatogorsk and Shchurovo.

Battlegroup South

The Battlegroup South, having liberated Konstantinovka, is advancing toward Druzhkovka. Advancing units have entered Alekseyevo-Druzhkovka and are fighting inside the city.

The 3rd Army, advancing toward Slavyansk and Kramatorsk, has liberated Piskunovka and reached the outskirts of Nikolayevka.

The army's forward units are less than five kilometers away from the eastern outskirts of Kramatorsk. Their fire is inflicting losses on Ukrainian forces holding positions within the city limits.

In the Battlegroup Center Zone

Heavy fighting continues in the zone of the Battlegroup Center.

In the Dobropolye area, formations and military units of the group are advancing north of Krasnoarmeysk and are fighting in Dobropolye and Annovka. In addition, the village of Lenina (Ukrainian name - Mirnoye) has come under Russian control, and the liberation of Shevchenko, Krasnoyarsk and Svetly is also being completed.