LUGANSK, July 30. /TASS/. Russian troops, having taken control of the Novaya Sech settlement in the Sumy Region, began fighting for two neighboring settlements at once - Kiyanitsa and Khrapovshchina, military expert Andrey Marochko told TASS.

According to him, before taking Novaya Sech, Russian forces assumed control of Ivolzhanskoye, after which they began advancing northeast.

"Our troops are exploiting their success northeast of Ivolzhanskoye. Fighting has already begun for two settlements--Kiyanitsa and Khrapovshchina. Judging by our troops’ tactics, I suppose that the line of contact in this area is now being leveled for further advance south," he said.