WASHINGTON, August 27. /TASS/. Press secretary of the Pentagon Patrick Ryder recognized at a briefing that Russian forces are advancing in the Krasnoarmeisk direction of Donetsk People’s Republic’s territory controlled by Kiev.

"You know, it's definitely something that we're keeping a close eye on. You're seeing the Russians make incremental gains there. And, you know, it's tough fighting along that border area," the press secretary said, according to the transcript released by the Department of Defense. "And so, again, we're going to continue to communicate, consult with the Ukrainians to better understand their needs to enable them to — to defend their territory," he added.

The general staff of Ukraine reported the tense situation in this area earlier.