LUGANSK, February 9. /TASS/. Ukrainian units deployed near Kremennaya in the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) are mining their positions and hardware while preparing to retreat, says LPR People’s Militia retired Lieutenant Colonel Andrey Marochko.

"Abandoning their positions near Kremennaya, servicemen of Ukrainian armed formations have been laying land and anti-tank mines," he said.

According to Marochko, Ukrainian troops are using regular and homemade ammunition. "There have been reports about the bodies of eliminated Ukrainian militants, as well as the weapons and hardware they failed to evacuate, being mined," Marochko underscored.

On Wednesday, the official told TASS that the Russian forces had been occupying more advantageous positions near Svatovo and Kremennaya which would enable them to deliver targeted attacks on Ukrainian manpower and hardware.