The Vostok group liberated seven settlements in the SVO zone over a month

The Russian Armed Forces (AF) have liberated seven settlements over the month. Lieutenant General Andrei Ivanaev, commander of the Vostok troop grouping, reported this on December 13 at a meeting held by Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov at the grouping's control point.

"Ivanaev reported to the Russian Defense Minister that seven settlements have been liberated by the grouping's units over the month," the ministry said in a statement.

In addition, an area of more than 300 square kilometers of terrain was taken under control. The ministry also specified that the Ukrainian army suffered significant losses in both equipment and manpower.

At the meeting, Belousov was presented with the results of the modernization of the standard weapons to combat unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), as well as robotic complexes.

The Defense Minister thanked the command staff of the Vostok units for the high results of combat work and presented state awards to the military personnel who showed bravery, courage and heroism.

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The day before, the Defense Ministry said that the Russian Armed Forces had liberated the village of Zarya in the Donetsk People's Republic (DNR). Prior to that, the ministry reported the liberation of the settlements of Zheltoye and Blagodatnoye, Berestki, Pustynka and Sukhiye Yaly in the DNR.

Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Defense Committee Yury Shvytkin told Izvestia on December 5 that the Russian Armed Forces retain an advantage on the front. This is how he commented on the statement by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga that Kiev is not ready to make concessions on territories. He emphasized that Kiev needed "geopolitical certainty" on Ukraine as part of the Euro-Atlantic community.

The special operation to protect Donbass, the start of which Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on February 24, 2022, continues. The decision was made against the backdrop of the worsening situation in the region.

More topical videos and details about the situation in Donbass, see on Izvestia TV channel.