MOSCOW, February 20. /TASS/. The liberated area in Avdeyevka has doubled over the past two days and amounts to 72 square kilometers, said Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu in an interview with TASS.

"Today, the offensive operations in the western direction continue. Today Koksokhim (the coke-chemical plant in Avdeyevka -TASS) has already been liberated, and in general the liberated area is already 72 square kilometers - almost twice as much as it was," Defense Minister said.

Shoigu added that since the beginning of the offensive operations of Russian troops, 317 square kilometers have been liberated from the Ukrainian armed forces in all directions.