MOSCOW. April 28 (Interfax) - Russian forces have put a stop to the operations of three Ukrainian sabotage-and-reconnaissance groups in the Kharkov and Zaporozhye regions, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said at a press briefing on Friday.
"Operations of two Ukrainian sabotage-and-reconnaissance groups were put to a stop near Sinkovka and Kislovka in the Kharkov region," Konashenkov said at a press briefing on Friday.
In the Kupyansk sector, tactical aircraft, army aviation and artillery from the western group of forces hit Ukrainian units in the Kharkov region, he said.
In that area, the Ukrainian army lost up to 75 troops, two armored combat vehicles, and a D-20 howitzer.
"An ammo depot of the 127th Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces was destroyed in the vicinity of Sinelnikovo in the Kharkov region," he said.
"Operations of a Ukrainian sabotage-and-reconnaissance group were prevented near Marfopol in the Zaporozhye region," Konashenkov said.
"In the southern Donetsk and Zaporozhye sectors, aircraft, artillery and heavy flamethrowers from the eastern group of forces hit Ukrainian units near Vodyanoye, Pavlovka and Novopol in the Donetsk People's Republic and Charivnoye in the Zaporozhye region," he said.
The Ukrainian army lost up to 40 troops, two trucks, and Msta-B and D-30 howitzers in those areas, Konashenkov said.
Meanwhile, aircraft and artillery from the central group of forces hit hostile units in the DPR and LPR in the Krasny Liman sector, he said.
"Up to 85 Ukrainian troops were killed, and two trucks, an Akatsiya self-propelled artillery system, and a D-30 howitzer were destroyed there in the past 24 hours," Konashenkov said.
Fighter jets from the Russian Aerospace Forces downed a Ukrainian Mil Mi-8 helicopter in the DPR, he said.
"In the Kherson region, gunfire on the Ukrainian forces killed up to 65 Ukrainian troops and destroyed three trucks, an Akatsiya self-propelled artillery system, and a D-30 howitzer over the past day," Konashenkov said.
"Tactical aircraft, army aviation, missile forces and artillery from the Russian Armed Forces' contingent hit 86 Ukrainian artillery units on firing positions, and troops and hardware in 112 areas," he said.