KYIV. Feb 13 (Interfax) - The Ukrainian army says it has left Lohvynove and the militia have taken control over the town.
"As to the situation on the Artemivsk-Debaltseve road, units of the 30th brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces had to leave the town of Lohvynove yesterday, and National Guard units (a platoon of the Donbas battalion) retreated to the initial positions due to the lack of armor support," says a report of the Ukrainian National Guard Donbas battalion posted on Facebook.
The report said the army killed over 50 militiamen, destroyed several armored vehicles and took 17 prisoners.
The Donbas battalion confirmed the militia's control over Lohvynove.
It admitted to problems in the procurement of hardware, combat cohesion and reconnaissance.
"The enemy is focused on seizing control over Lohvynove. There is a fierce artillery duel and fighting is going on between Luhansk and Lohvynove," the battalion reported.
It said it had destroyed three militia tanks and "the intensity of the fighting had been increasing."
"After the terrorists had easily brought in reinforcements and delivered a counter strike yesterday, the Ukrainian Armed Forces units and the National Guard unprotected by the armor had to leave the town. Fighting is in progress between Lohvynove and Luhansk and its intensity has been increasing," Ukrainian parliament deputy, Donbas battalion commander Semyon Semenchenko wrote on Facebook.