MOSCOW. Feb 21 (Interfax) - Russia's southern group of forces is continuing an offensive in the Donetsk sector with the assistance of attack planes, heavy flamethrowers and artillery, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said at a press briefing on Tuesday.
"In the Donetsk sector, the southern group of forces is continuing an offensive with the assistance of attack planes, heavy flamethrowers and artillery," Konashenkov said.
In that area, the enemy lost over 170 Ukrainian troops, as well as five armored combat vehicles, four trucks, a Grad multiple rocket launcher, an Akatsiya self-propelled howitzer, a Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer and two D-30 howitzers over the day, he said.
"In the Kupyansk sector, active operations of the western group of forces supported by army aviation and artillery hit Ukrainian units in the vicinity of Tabayevka and Sinkovka of the Kharkov region and Novosyolovskoye in the Lugansk People's Republic," Konashenkov said.
Up to 70 Ukrainian troops were killed and one tank, two armored combat vehicles, three trucks, a Grad multiple rocket launcher, a D-20 howitzer, and a U.S.-made M777 artillery system were destroyed there, he said.
"In the Krasny Liman sector, units of the central group of forces delivered combined strikes on hostiles near Stelmakhovka and Chervonaya Dibrova of the Lugansk People's Republic and Yampolovka of the Donetsk People's Republic," Konashenkov said.
"More than 200 Ukrainian troops were killed and three armored combat vehicles, a Grad multiple rocket launcher, a Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer, a D-30 howitzer, and two U.S.-made M101 howitzers were destroyed in that area over the day," he said.