DONETSK, October 17. /TASS/. The liberation of the settlement of Maksimilyanovka west of Donetsk will enable Russian troops to speed up the encirclement of Kurakhovo, defense circles told TASS on Thursday.

"Maksimilyanovka brings closer the encirclement of Kurakhovo from the southeast," the defense circles said.

Russia’s Defense Ministry reported earlier on Thursday that Russian troops had liberated the settlement of Maksimilyanovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic.