Russian forces intensify advance in Volchansk direction — administration

MOSCOW, May 14. /TASS/. Russian forces are making significant advances in the Volchansk area, Vitaly Ganchev, head of the military-civilian administration of the Kharkov Region, told Vesti. "The Volchansk area is currently seeing the heaviest fighting as the initiative now lies entirely with our forces. We are receiving reports from people on the ground, including military personnel, that morale within the Ukrainian army is extremely low. They have effectively been abandoned. A large number of troops, including Western mercenaries, are being taken prisoner," he said. In late April, Russian security agencies told TASS that the Ukrainian military command was attempting to address the difficult situation facing its troops in the area by deploying foreign mercenaries near Volchansk.