LUGANSK, September 1. /TASS/. Russian forces took control of over three dozen settlements and about 400 square kilometers in the special military operation zone in August, military expert Andrey Marochko said.
Marochko highlighted that Russian troops took control of 39 settlements in August, including six in the Sumy Region, nine in the Kharkov Region, 15 in the Donetsk People’s Republic and nine in the Zaporozhye Region.
The military expert said Russia’s Battlegroup North took the most settlements - 14. The battlegroup also took control of about 150 square kilometers in the Sumy and Kharkov regions last month.
"We are maintaining a high pace in liberating occupied territories and establishing a buffer zone, according to Russian Defense Ministry data," Marochko said. "Russian forces took control of eight more settlements than in July. The priority area shifted again, with Russian troops operating more actively and effectively in the Donetsk People’s Republic.".