MOSCOW. May 19 (Interfax) - The Russian Defense Ministry has reported fighting involving assault units in the western part of Artyomovsk (Bakhmut), and aircraft and artillery strikes on Ukrainian army positions.
"In the Artyomovsk tactical sector, assault units have been engaged in fighting in the western part of the city. Units from the southern group of forces have been containing the enemy and covering the assault units from the flanks," Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said.
"Tactical aircraft, army aviation and artillery from the southern group of forces hit hostile troops and hardware near Kalinovka, Chasov Yar and Krasnoye in the Donetsk People's Republic," he said.
"Aircraft conducted five flights in that area during the day, and the group's artillery carried out 68 fire missions," Konashenkov said.
"More than 70 Ukrainian servicemen and mercenaries were killed, and two infantry vehicles, one armored personnel carrier, three pickup trucks, a Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, and two U.S.-made AN/TPQ-50 counter-mortar radars were destroyed in the fighting," he said.