LUGANSK, November 15. /TASS/. Russian military units have secured control of approximately 10 kilometers of the border of the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR) near the village of Stelmakhovka, military expert Andrey Marochko told TASS.

According to Marochko, by establishing fortified positions on strategic heights, Russian forces have boosted the intensity of their strikes on Ukrainian positions along this section of the frontline.

"Following successful operations by the Russian Armed Forces, a stretch of the LPR’s administrative border to the north and south of Stelmakhovka was brought under fire control. The total length of the border in this area is around 10 kilometers," he explained. "Our units have consolidated their positions on high ground, enabling more effective strikes on enemy targets," the expert added.

On October 16, Marochko informed TASS that Ukrainian forces were still operating near three key towns in the LPR’s west: Svatovo, Kremennaya, and Lisichansk. He noted that, overall, Ukrainian forces control less than 1% of the republic’s territory.