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Military operation in Ukraine

Russian forces advance in South Donetsk area, DPR leader says

The Russian troops have advanced towards the settlements of Bogatyr, Otradnaya and Komar in the Velikaya Novosyolka area

DONETSK, April 21. /TASS/. Russian forces have advanced along the South Donetsk section of the frontline, Denis Pushilin, head of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), told the Rossiya-24 TV channel.

"As for the Velikaya Novosyolka area, we can see that the Russian Armed Forces have advanced towards the settlements of Bogatyr, Otradnaya and Komar," he said.

Russian troops had moved the frontline before the Easter ceasefire was declared on Saturday, Pushilin stressed.

At an April 19 meeting with Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a cessation of hostilities until midnight on Monday, April 21. The Russian leader urged Kiev to do the same. Gerasimov gave the relevant order to the commanders of Russian battlegroups in the special military operation area. The ceasefire took effect at 6:00 p.m. Moscow time (3:00 p.m. GMT) on April 19. However, the Ukrainian army attacked Donetsk and Gorlovka on the morning of April 20. Ukrainian forces also carried out strikes on residential areas in the Kherson Region, Governor Vladimir Saldo said.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the Ukrainian armed forces shelled Russian positions 444 times after the ceasefire was announced and carried out 900 drone strikes. The attacks caused civilian casualties, the ministry noted.

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Military operation in Ukraine

Military operation in Ukraine

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