MOSCOW. June 21 (Interfax) - Russia's northern group of forces has improved its front lines and repelled 17 Ukrainian counterattacks, while the western group of forces has taken better positions over the past week, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday.
"Over the week, units from the northern group of forces improved their front lines and struck troops and hardware of two formations of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, a marine brigade and two territorial defense brigades," the ministry said.
Seventeen Ukrainian counterattacks were repelled over the week, it said.
The Ukrainian army lost up to 1,980 troops, four tanks, two armored combat vehicles, including a Stryker armored fighting vehicle, 20 trucks, multiple rocket launders including Grads, 22 artillery systems, and three Bukovel-AD EW systems, it said.
"Units from the western group of forces took better positions and struck detachments of three mechanized brigades, an assault brigade and an airmobile brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces," it said.
Twelve counterattacks by Ukrainian assault groups were repelled over the week, it said.
In the western group of forces' zone of responsibility, the Ukrainian army lost up to 3,330 troops, two tanks, 15 armored combat vehicles, 34 trucks, 25 artillery systems including ten foreign-made ones, and four Nota ECM stations, it said.
"Units from the southern group of forces improved their front lines and struck troops and hardware of three mechanized brigades, a motorized infantry brigade and an air assault brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Six counterattacks by enemy assault groups were repelled," it said.
Over the week, the Ukrainian army lost up to 4,290 troops, a German-made Leopard tank, 19 armored combat vehicles, 53 trucks, 47 artillery systems and two multiple missile launchers, including a Croatian-made RAK SA-12, it said.
"Units from the central group of forces improved their tactical position and hit detachments of three mechanized brigades and an infantry brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and a territorial defense brigade," it said.
Russian forces repelled 31 Ukrainian counterattacks, and the Ukrainian army lost up to 2,530 troops, 13 armored combat vehicles, including six U.S.-made MaxxPro and Humvees, 23 trucks, 53 artillery systems and two Grad multiple rocket launchers," it said.
Units from the eastern group of forces took better positions and took control of Zagornoye in the Zaporozhye region, it said.
"They struck concentrations of troops and hardware of a mechanized brigade and a motorized infantry brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and two territorial defense brigades," it said.
The Ukrainian army lost up to 970 troops, ten armored combat vehicles, 30 trucks, 18 artillery systems, including 11 foreign-made ones, and three Bukovel-AD and Anklav ECM stations, it said.