MOSCOW. May 31 (Interfax) - The Russian Defense Ministry has reported fierce fighting for Avdeyevka in Donbass.
"In the Donetsk sector, extremely fierce fighting is taking place near Avdeyevka," Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said.
"Intensive operations by assault groups from the military units and formations of the 1st Army Corps backed by aircraft, artillery and heavy flamethrowers from the southern group of forces have pushed the enemy out of its positions in certain areas near Krasnogorovka and Yasinovataya in the Donetsk People's Republic," Konashenkov said.
"Tactical aircraft and army aviation hit Ukrainian army units near Avdeyevka and Khimik. A missile and artillery depot of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' 110th Mechanized Brigade was destroyed," he said.
"A command and observation post of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' Skala assault battalion was destroyed near Avdeyevka in the Donetsk People's Republic," Konashenkov said.
"The total losses sustained by the enemy in the Donetsk sector over the past 24 hours include more than 200 Ukrainian troops, three armored combat vehicles, 12 trucks, a D-30 howitzer and two Grad multiple rocket launchers," he said.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported on May 21 that the Russian military had taken full control of Artyomovsk (Bakhmut).