MOSCOW. Aug 4 (Interfax) - Russian assault units are conducting offensive operations on a broad front in the Kupyansk sector, taking up more advantageous positions in the Kharkov region, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said at a press briefing on Friday.
"In the Kupyansk sector, assault units of the western group of forces are continuing offensive operations on a broad front and have gained more advantageous positions near Olshana, Petropavlovka and Tokarevka in the Kharkov region," Konashenkov said.
Four attacks mounted by units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' 14th Mechanized Brigade and 25th Air Assault Brigade were repelled in the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR) as a result of intense defensive operations, he said.
Concentrations of troops and hardware of nine Ukrainian army brigades were struck in the Kharkov region, he said.
"Up to 45 Ukrainian troops were killed and two armored fighting vehicles, three automobiles, a U.S.-made M777 artillery system, a U.S.-made M109 Paladin self-propelled artillery system, and a Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery system were destroyed," Konashenkov said.
"In the Krasny Liman sector, active operations by units of the central group of forces, army aviation strikes and artillery fire successfully repelled two enemy attacks near Novovodyanoye and Kremennaya in the Lugansk People's Republic," he said.
Massive strikes were delivered on units of the Ukrainian army's 21st, 43rd, 54th, 63rd and 67th Mechanized Brigades and 95th Air Assault Brigade in the LPR and the Donetsk People's Republic, he said.
The Ukrainian army's losses in this area include up to 70 troops, two armored fighting vehicles, two automobiles, a U.S.-made M777 artillery system and D-20 and D-30 howitzers, Konashenkov said.
"Up to 25 Ukrainian troops were killed and two automobiles and two D-30 howitzers were destroyed as a result of strikes in the Kherson sector over the past day," he said.