MOSCOW. July 16 (Interfax) - Russian General Staff Chief Valery Gerasimov has visited the command post of the eastern group of forces in the special military operation zone and presented awards to soldiers who excelled in the operation to take control of the village of Urozhainoye, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.
"At the command post, the General Staff chief listened to reports by eastern group of forces commander Lieut. Gen. Alexander Sanchik and the group's senior officers regarding the current situation in this zone of responsibility and the fulfillment of combat tasks," the ministry said.
"The General Staff chief noted the successes achieved by the eastern group of forces while liberating Urozhainoye and set further tasks for it," it said.
The ministry also published video footage that shows Gerasimov arriving at the eastern group of forces' command post accompanied by head of the Russian General Staff's Main Operational Directorate Sergei Rudskoi.
During the visit to the command post, Gerasimov was also shown robotic combat systems that were successfully used during the storming operation, it said.
"At the conclusion of his visit to the eastern group [of forces], Gen. of the Army Valery Gerasimov presented state awards to servicemen who distinguished themselves during the liberation of Urozhainoye and thanked them for their courage and valor demonstrated in the battle," it said.
On July 14, the Defense Ministry said the eastern group of forces had taken control of Urozhainoye in the Donetsk People's Republic. The ministry said on the same day that units of the eastern group of forces had taken control of Urozhainoye in successful operations and were mopping up the village and clearing mines.