MOSCOW. Feb 8 (Interfax) - Russian troops are on an offensive in the Donetsk sector, carrying out strikes on the Ukrainian army in the Kupyansk, Krasny Liman, southern Donetsk and Kherson areas, Russian Defense Ministry spokesperson Igor Konashenkov said.
"In the Donetsk sector, the offensive actions of the storm units of the southern group of troops and fire damage it caused have resulted in the elimination of more than 140 Ukrainian service members, one tank, three pickup trucks, three automobiles, and a Msta-B howitzer," Konashenkov said at a press briefing on Wednesday.
Strikes have also been carried out on the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Kupyansk, Krasny Liman, southern Donetsk and Kherson sectors, he said.
"In the Kupyansk sector, the western group of troops carried out strikes by assault and army aviation, and conducted artillery fire to inflict loss of personnel and equipment in units of the 14th and 92nd mechanized brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near Olshana, Pershotravnevoye, Krakhmalnoye, Berestovoye in the Kharkov region and Novesyolovskoye in the Lugansk People's Republic," Konashenkov said.
"In the past 24 hours, more than 35 Ukrainian service members, one armored personnel carrier and one car were eliminated in this sector," he said.
"In the Krasny Liman sector, strikes by tactical and army aviation, artillery fire and heavy fire throwing systems of the central group of troops defeated concentrations of personnel and equipment of the 66th mechanized, 25th airborne, 95th air assault and 81st airmobile brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near Stelmakhovka, Chervonopopovka, Chervonaya Dibrova, and Kuzmino in the Lugansk People's Republic and Terny in the Donetsk People's Republic," he said.
In those areas, he said, 130 Ukrainian service members were killed and one infantry fighting vehicle, three armored combat vehicles, and one Grad multiple-launch rocket system were destroyed.
"In the southern Donetsk sector, strikes of army aviation and artillery fire by the eastern group of troops defeated units of the 72nd mechanized, the 1st tank and the 35th marine brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near Ugledar and Vodyanoye in the Donetsk People's Republic. In this sector, up to 75 Ukrainian troops were killed, and one tank, one infantry fighting vehicle, three armored combat vehicles, and two automobiles were destroyed in the past 24 hours," he said.
"In the Kherson sector, near Olgovka, Kherson region, a mortar crew of the Ukrainian Armed Forces was eliminated as part of counterbattery fighting," Konashenkov said.