MOSCOW. May 6 (Interfax) - Russian forces have taken control of Kotlyarovka in the Kharkov region and Solovyovo in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), the Russian Defense Ministry said on Monday.
"Units from the western group of forces have taken control of Kotlyarovka in the Kharkov region as a result of intensive operations," the ministry said.
Meanwhile, the central group of forces took control of Solovyovo in the DPR following successful operations, it said.
Units from the western group of forces improved their front lines and hit Ukrainian troops and hardware near Kupyansk in the Kharkov region, Stelmakhovka in the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR) and Novosadovoye in the DPR. Three counterattacks were repelled near Sinkovka and Krakhmalnoye in the Kharkov region and Stelmakhovka in the LPR during the day. The enemy lost up to 120 troops, two tanks, including one Leopard, two 155mm M777 howitzers, a 152mm Msta-B howitzer, and three 12mm Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems, the ministry said.
Units from the central group of forces hit enemy troops and hardware in the vicinity of Novgorodskoye, Rozovka, Kalinovo, Umanskoye and Progress in the DPR. Seven counterattacks were repelled near Novokalinovo, Ocheretino, Netailovo and Berdychi in the DPR. The enemy lost up to 370 troops, one armored combat vehicle, 20 trucks and a 122mm D-30 howitzer, it said.
Units from the southern group of forces took better positions and struck the enemy near Andreyevka, Belogorovka, Kurakhovo, Kurdyumovka, Ostroye, Konstantinovka and Spornoye in the DPR. The enemy lost up to 275 troops, an armored personnel carrier and six trucks. Counterbattery measures hit a 155mm M109 Paladin self-propelled artillery system, three 155mm U.S.-made M777 howitzers, a 105mm M119 howitzer, two 155mm Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery systems, a 122mm D-30 howitzer, three Anklav and Bukovel-AD ECM stations, and an AN/TPQ-50 anti-mortar radar, the ministry said.
Units from the eastern group of forces took better positions and struck Ukrainian troops near Vodyanoye, Makarovka and Prechistovka in the DPR. An enemy counterattack was repelled near Urozhainoye in the DPR. The Ukrainian army lost up to 160 troops, two tanks, three trucks, a 155mm U.S.-made M198 howitzer, and three 122mm D-30 howitzers, it said.
Units from the Dnepr group of forces hit concentrations of enemy troops and hardware near Stepnoye and Rabotino in the Zaporozhye region and Tokarevka in the Kherson region. The enemy lost up to 40 troops, four 155mm M777 howitzers, a 152mm D-20 howitzer, a 122mm D-30 howitzer, and a Nota ECM station, the ministry said.