LUGANSK, March 5. /TASS/. After a series of strikes and the expulsion of Ukrainian troops, the Russian forces have begun fighting to liberate the Popasnoye settlement near Konstantinovka in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), military expert Andrey Marochko told TASS.

"South of Verolyubovka, we managed to dislodge Ukrainian troops from their positions and begin liberating the Popasnoye settlement in the Donetsk People's Republic," he said.

The military expert added that northwest of Verolyubovka, advance units of the Russian Armed Forces have bypassed the Ukrainian army units that have taken up defensive positions on strategic heights in an attempt to hold back the advance of Russian troops from Maiskoye.

Earlier, Marochko told TASS that Russian troops had improved their tactical position in Konstantinovka over the past week and had begun to increase pressure on the Ukrainian armed forces in the northeast and southeast of the city.