The situation in Kurakhove, Donetsk region, is tough, the Ukrainian defense forces are holding the western outskirts of the town, Spokesperson for the Khortytsia Operational and Strategic Group of Forces Viktor Trehubov has said.

"The situation in Kurakhove is indeed rather tough, because a significant part of the town has been destroyed. The Ukrainian forces are holding the western part of the town, its western outskirts. In particular, they are holding the power plant which is located in the town," he said on the national telethon on Tuesday.

The Russian occupation forces are "simply trying to devastate all houses," Trehubov said, emphasizing that when a town is completely destroyed, there is no place for holding the line then, because there are in fact no strongholds.

"Any house is a stronghold. If there are no houses, if there is only scorched earth there, then it becomes impossible to hold the line there," he said.

According to the spokesperson, the enemy operation has been lasting in Kurakhove for a long time exactly because the occupiers are trying to destroy the town into stones.

"While they are engaged in this barbarism, our forces destroy their personnel and equipment," he said.