LUGANSK, January 29. /TASS/. Ukrainian troops have retreated to reserve positions in Ilyichevka (known as Ozernoye in Ukraine) in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) after Russia’s strikes, military expert Andrey Marochko told TASS.

"As for Ilyichevka, which has been renamed as Ozernoye by Ukrainian militants, the fire by Russian forces has forced the enemy to retreat to reserve positions. Naturally, the interposition space here has expanded," he said.

He told TASS earlier that during the past day, Russian forces expanded the zone under their control near the settlements of Ilyichevka, Dibrovy, and Zakotnoye in the Krasny Liman area.

Chief of the Russian General Staff Army General Valery Gerasimov said on January 27 that Russian forces were engaged in street fighting to liberate Krasny Liman and Ilyichevka and continued destroying Ukrainian armed formations in the Holy Mountains National Park.