MOSCOW. Aug 3 (Interfax) - Russian forces have repelled eight Ukrainian attacks and improved their forward positions in the Donetsk sector, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said.
"Having repelled the attacks, Russian forces counterattacked against the retreating enemy and improved their forward positions near Berestovoye, Krasnogorovka and Maryinka in the Donetsk People's Republic [DPR]," Konashenkov said at a press briefing on Thursday.
"In the Donetsk sector, units of the southern group of forces, working closely with aircraft and artillery, repelled eight enemy attacks near Belogorovka, Berestovoye, Kleshcheyevka, Krasnogorovka and Maryinka in the DPR," he said.
In the Donetsk sector, the enemy "lost up to 380 troops, one tank, five armored combat vehicles, four trucks, two Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery systems, and a Rapira anti-tank cannon" in the past 24 hours, Konashenkov said.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces tried to mount an offensive in the southern Donetsk, Kupyansk and Krasny Liman sectors over the past day, he said.
"In the southern Donetsk sector, aircraft, artillery and units of the eastern group of forces hit Ukrainian troops and hardware near Ugledar, Prechistovka, Makarovka and Staromayorskoye in the DPR. The skillful and professional actions of Russian units repelled a hostile attack near Urozhainoye in the DPR," he said.
"In that area, the Ukrainian Armed Forces lost up to 175 troops, one tank, two armored combat vehicles, two trucks, two U.S.-made M777 artillery systems and a D-30 howitzer," Konashenkov said.
In the Zaporozhye sector, Russian units, aircraft and artillery hit the enemy near Orekhov, Malaya Tokmachka, Novodanilovka and Pyatikhatki in the Zaporozhye region, he said.
"The enemy lost up to 45 Ukrainian troops, two tanks, two trucks, an Akatsiya self-propelled artillery system, and a D-20 howitzer," Konashenkov said.