Ukrainian military thwarted Kremlin's plans in 2014 - Donetsk regional governor

Ukrainian military thwarted the Kremlin's plans by liberating Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, and other cities in Donetsk region in July 2014, Head of Donetsk Regional State Administration Pavlo Kyrylenko has said.

"I congratulate the residents of Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, Druzhkivka and Kostiantynivka on the seventh anniversary of the cities' liberation from Russian occupation! This agglomeration was of strategic importance for the enemy, but the coordinated and professional work of our military broke the Kremlin's plans," Kyrylenko wrote on Facebook, congratulating the residents of the liberated cities.

He thanked all the heroes "who managed to drive the enemy out of here once and for all and thanks to whom the inhabitants of these cities have already been living under the free Ukrainian sky for seven years."

July 5 marks seven years since the liberation of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk by the Ukrainian army from Russian occupation. On that day, at 13:00, reconnaissance soldiers of the 2nd battalion of the National Guard hoisted the Ukrainian flag over the Sloviansk City Council building. On the same day, the advanced forces of the National Guard entered Kramatorsk.

In addition to Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, the Ukrainian military liberated Druzhkivka and Bakhmut from Russian occupation on July 6, Kostiantynivka on July 7, Toretsk on July 21, and Avdiivka on July 29, 2014.

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