MOSCOW. June 13 (Interfax) - Russian forces have repelled two Ukrainian attacks south of Artyomovsk (Bakhmut) and prevented them from penetrating their positions, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said on Tuesday.
"Intensive operations by the southern group of forces south of Artyomovsk in the Donetsk People's Republic [DPR] successfully repelled two attacks by the enemy in the direction of Kleshcheyevka in the DPR," Konashenkov said at a press briefing.
"The enemy was prevented from penetrating our defensive lines," he said.
In that area, the Ukrainian army lost up to 350 troops, two armored combat vehicles, and six trucks, Konashenkov said.
"In the Kupyansk sector, aircraft and artillery from the western group of forces hit hostile units near Ivanovka in the Kharkov region and Rozovka in the Lugansk People's Republic [LPR]," he said.
"A Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group was neutralized in the vicinity of Timkovka in the Kharkov region," Konashenkov said.
The Ukrainian army lost more than 35 troops, an armored personnel carrier, a pickup truck and a D-20 howitzer there in the past 24 hours, he said.
In the Krasny Liman sector, tactical aircraft, army aviation and artillery from the central group of forces hit Ukrainian army units in the LPR, Konashenkov said.
"Over the day, the enemy lost up to 60 troops, two armored combat vehicles, four trucks, a Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, and D-20 and D-30 howitzers," he said.
In the Kherson sector, "strikes killed up to 30 Ukrainian troops and destroyed three trucks, a Msta-B howitzer, and a Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system over the past 24 hours," Konashenkov said.