The Russian armed forces did not allow Ukrainian troops who fled from the Avdeyevka strongpoint to gain a foothold on the new line and continue to push them westward, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said on Tuesday.
"After Ukrainian fighters fled from the Avdeyevka strongpoint, the Russian group of troops did not allow them to gain a foothold on the Stepove-Lastochkyne-Sjeverne line and continues to push the enemy westward," Shoigu told a meeting with senior military officials.
The minister added that Russia has created Leningrad and Moscow military districts due to NATO military buildup near the country’s borders.
"Amid NATO's military buildup near Russian borders … Two inter-specific strategic territorial units of the armed forces have been created — the Leningrad and Moscow military districts," Shoigu said.
President Vladimir Putin's decree has established the military-administrative division of Russian, which now incorporates new regions, Shoigu added.