LUGANSK, December 21. /TASS/. Kiev has pulled reserves toward Lozovaya in the Kharkov Region in an attempt to rescue Ukrainian troops from getting into a kill zone there, military expert Andrey Marochko told TASS.

"In Lozovaya, a kill zone has actually been set up. The enemy is still offering resistance, and yet the enemy has been pulling reserves to this sector to try and prevent being encircled in this locality," he said.

In general, "quite active hostilities" are taking place near Dvurechnaya and Lozovaya in the Kupyansk sector of the line of engagement, Marochko noted. According to him, Russian forces are currently expanding their foothold for a continued advance toward Dvurechnaya.

On December 18, Marochko told TASS that Russian forces had improved their tactical positions near Lozovaya by partially setting up a trap for Ukrainian troops deployed to this sector of the frontline. Later on Wednesday, Lozovaya Mayor Sergey Zelensky wrote a letter of resignation over what he termed his inability to "resolve problems that have accumulated.".