DONETSK, December 19. /TASS/. Units of the Ukrainian armed forces have been abandoning their positions near the settlement of Kotlino southwest of Krasnoarmeysk (referred to as Pokrovsk in Ukraine) in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), a source in the security services told TASS.

"We see attempts to withdraw from positions in Kotlino. Currently, this is not on a large scale, but the enemy’s defenses in this section of the frontline have gaps," the source said.

Additionally, Ukrainian positions in the settlement are under intense artillery fire by the Russian Armed Forces.