LUGANSK, September 1. /TASS/. Eight settlements were liberated by Russian forces in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) in August, Russian military expert Andrey Marochko said.

"During August, units of Russia’s Battlegroup West liberated the settlements of Kolodezi and Sredneye in the Donetsk People’s Republic. Units of the Battlegroup South liberated the settlements Alexandro-Kalinovo, Shcherbinovka, Alexandro-Shultino, Katerinovka, Kleban-Byk, and Nelepovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. Thus, eight settlements were de-occupied in the Battlegroups South and West’s operational zone," he said in a video address posted on his Vkontakte page.

According to the expert, "considerable invigoration of offensive actions was observed" in August at a number of frontline sections in the Lugansk People’s Republic. "Positive forecasts have proved to be true: the occupied part of the LPR shrank to 0.3%. Let me recall that in June is accounted for 0.5% of the republic’s territory. Judging by the dynamics and positions of out troops, we can give a positive forecast for this month as well. Our troops keep the initiative and the enemy is trying to stabilize the situation," he said.

According to the Russian defense ministry, Russian forces have liberated 99.7% of the LPR’s territory, with only less than 60 square kilometers being still controlled by the Ukrainian army, Marochko recalled.