MOSCOW

Russian forces are advancing practically along all directions in the conflict zones in Ukraine, the head of the Russian General Staff Valery Gerasimov claimed Wednesday.

The most intense fighting is in the Krasnoarmeyskoye direction, Gerasimov said at a meeting with military chiefs in the battle zone.

The Russian Zapad (West) army is developing an offensive in Kupyansk city, he said, and that the advance is successfully underway on the Krasnolimanskiy direction, where the city of Kirovsk is about to fall under Russia's control, he said.

Russian soldiers entered Yampol village, where they continue combat operations, the opponent was completely driven out of the Serebryanskoe forestry, he claimed.

“Assault subunits of the southern group are moving forward in Severnyy village. On the Aleksandro-Kalinovsky direction, battles are being fought close to Konstantinovka, our units have entered Pleshcheevka. Destruction of the enemy blocked south of the Kleban-Byk reservoir continues,” he said.

Gerasimov said the Vostok group develops its offensive in the Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.

He also presented awards to servicemen who distinguished themselves during combat activities.