MOSCOW. June 19 (Interfax) - The Ukrainian Armed Forces' offensive has been the most intense in the southern Donetsk and Donetsk sectors in the past 24 hours, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said.
"In the past 24 hours, attempted offensive operations of the Ukrainian Armed Forces have been the most intense in the southern Donetsk and Donetsk sectors," Konashenkov said at a press briefing on Monday.
"Professional and selfless conduct of the eastern group of forces, supported by aircraft and artillery, repelled three attacks by combined units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the Vremevka bulge in the southern Donetsk sector," Konashenkov said.
One tank, 12 armored vehicles, and a foreign-made obstacle clearing vehicle were destroyed, he said.
Two Ukrainian attacks were repelled in the Zaporozhye region: two tanks, ten infantry vehicles and two armored vehicles were hit, Konashenkov said.
In those areas, the Ukrainian army lost over 100 troops, three tanks, ten infantry vehicles, 14 armored vehicles, four trucks, two Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems, and D-20, Msta-B and D-30 howitzers, he said.
"In the Donetsk sector, active operations of the southern group of forces successfully repelled four attacks of the hostiles near Pervomaiskoye, Petrovskoye and Staromikhailovka in the Donetsk People's Republic," Konashenkov said.
According to him, the Ukrainian army lost over 340 troops, two armored vehicles, five trucks, a Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery system, and D-20 and Msta-B howitzers.
An ammo depot of the 5th Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces was destroyed in the Donetsk People's Republic, Konashenkov said.
"In the Kupyansk sector, strikes by army aviation, artillery fire and active operations of the western group of forces neutralized two Ukrainian reconnaissance and sabotage groups near Timkovka in the Kharkov region," he said.
There, the Ukrainian army lost up to 45 troops, three armored vehicles, four trucks and a Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery system, Konashenkov said.
"In the Krasny Liman sector, aircraft and artillery of the central group of forces hit hostile units in the vicinity of Kuzmino and Makeyevka in the Lugansk People's Republic and the Serebryanskoye forestry area," he said.
Three Ukrainian reconnaissance and sabotage groups were neutralized in the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics, Konashenkov said.
"Up to 105 Ukrainian troops were killed, and two infantry vehicles, two armored vehicles, two pickup trucks, two Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems, and D-20 and D-30 howitzers were destroyed there over the past day," Konashenkov said.
In the Kherson sector, gunfire killed "over 40 Ukrainian troops and destroyed four trucks and a U.S.-made M777 artillery system" in the past 24 hours, he said.