DONETSK, March 20. /TASS/. Ukrainian troops have reduced their activities in the Avdeyevka area, a Russian drone crew commander with the callsign Zanoza (or Thorn) told TASS.

"Their activities have significantly declined since we liberated Avdeyevka. They are biting back but not as boldly and brazenly as before. Their morale has dropped," he said.

The Russian Hawks unit, of which he is a member, is currently training a group of drone operators in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR). According to a TASS correspondent, the fighters first acquire theoretical knowledge, then use simulators to learn to fly unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and only after that start practicing with drones.

The unit’s senior instructor with the callsign Rokot (or Rumble) told TASS that future drone operators were also learning how to repair UAVs. "After completing the full course and obtaining the necessary skills, drone operators will move to the combat zone," the service member said.

Igor Kimakovsky, an advisor to the DPR head, told TASS earlier on Wednesday that Russian troops had established fire control over Ukraine’s supply routes for the troops stationed near Avdeyevka. On February 17, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu reported to President Vladimir Putin that Avdeyevka, one of Ukraine’s most powerful strongholds, had been liberated.