DONETSK, November 10. /TASS/. The troop strength of Kiev’s forces at the line of engagement near Donetsk has fallen recently by at least three-fold as Ukrainian troops increasingly desert their positions, Yan Gagin, adviser to Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) head Denis Pushilin, told TASS.

"Recently, the enemy has been leaving only a very small, I’d say purely symbolic, contingent of soldiers at its first line of defense near Donetsk. It’s three and, in some cases, four times less than what it should be," Gagin said. "Three to four soldiers are simply not up to the task of holding the line of defense under current circumstances," he emphasized.

According to Gagin, in the majority of cases the deficit of fighters stems from instances of Ukrainian soldiers deserting the frontline.