DONETSK, May 6. /TASS/. The township of Ocheretino in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) has been badly damaged in hostilities, and experts will start assessing the scope of the damage as soon as the line of engagement is pushed further away from the settlement, DPR head Denis Pushilin told a live broadcast of Rossiya-24 television.

"As regards the settlement (of Ocheretino - TASS) itself, it has been damaged severely. According to our information, there are still civilians there and work is currently underway to identify civilians who, if need be, will have the opportunity to be evacuated to temporary accommodation centers so as to avoid further risk as the enemy continues shelling this settlement," Pushilin said.

According to him, the enemy has installed major fortifications in Ocheretino. Demining and debris clearing will be launched after the line of engagement is pushed further away from the settlement, after which a decision on restoring it will be made, Pushilin added.

On May 5, the Russian Defense Ministry reported the liberation of Ocheretino. According to the military, the liberation will make it possible to intensify attacks on two roads leading to a major Ukrainian hub, Krasnoarmeisk (Pokrovsk), and a smaller one, Dimitrov (Mirnograd).