LUGANSK, June 20. /TASS/. Ukrainian troops forming small groups are trying to outflank Russian forces in the Krasny Liman area in order to break the line of defense, Andrey Marochko, retired colonel in the People’s Militia of the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR), told TASS on Tuesday.

According to him, Ukrainian forces are maneuvering and attempting to strike the flanks of Russian troops in the Krasny Liman area. "In the vicinity of the population centers of Nevskoye and Makeyevka of the Lugansk People’s Republic, Terny, as well as in the Serebryansky forestry, uniform actions by Ukraine’s armed formations are being observed. Distracting our units on main striking directions, the adversary tries to outflank and cut off some of our troops," he said.

The officer noted that this strategy aims not to gain ground but to deliver "the utmost damage" to Russian troops. "This way, the Ukrainian command hopes to drain our forces at certain sectors to break through the line of defense there," Marochko said.

On Monday, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov said that aviation and artillery from Battlegroup Center had eliminated up to 105 Ukrainian troops in the Krasny Liman area over 24 hours.