MOSCOW. July 1 (Interfax) - Russian forces have taken control of Stepovaya Novosyolovka in the Kharkov region, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Monday.
"Units from the western group of forces have taken control of Stepovaya Novosyolovka in the Kharkov region and better positions as a result of successful operations," the ministry said.
In that sector, Russian forces struck detachments of the 21st, 44th, 60th and 66th Mechanized brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the 125th Territorial Defense Brigade near Makeyevka, Novovodyanoye, Nevskoye and Stelmakhovka in the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR) and Terny in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR). The Ukrainian Army lost up to 475 troops, an M113 armored personnel carrier and four pickup trucks, while counterbattery measures hit a Grad multiple rocket launcher, two 155mm M777 howitzers, a 152mm Msta-B howitzer, a 122mm Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, a 122mm D-30 howitzer, and five field ammo depots, the ministry said.
Units from the northern group of forces struck troops and hardware of the 41st Mechanized Brigade and the 57th Motorized Infantry Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the 34th Marine Brigade, the 113th and 125th Territorial Defense Brigades and the 13th National Guard Brigade near Volchansk, Tikhoye, Goptovka, Neskuchnoye, Zhovtnevoye and Liptsy in the Kharkov region. Two attacks by assault groups of the East Special Ops center and the 92nd Air Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were repelled over the day, it said.
In that sector, the Ukrainian Army lost up to 320 troops, an armored personnel carrier, seven trucks, two 155mm M777 howitzers, a 152mm D-20 howitzer, and a 122mm D-30 howitzer. A Ukrainian field ammo depot and three counterbattery stations made in the United States and Israel were destroyed.
"Units from the southern group of forces improved their frontlines and struck troops and hardware of the 23rd and 93rd Mechanized brigades, the 56th Motorized Infantry Brigade, the Fifth Assault Brigade, and the 80th Air Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and the 109th, 114th and 119th Territorial Defense Brigades near Grigorovka, Chasov Yar, Konstantinovka and Spornoye in the DPR. An attack by an assault group of the 10th Mountain Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces was repelled. The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost up to 620 troops, four armored combat vehicles, including two U.S.-made M113 armored personnel carriers, and 12 trucks," the ministry said.
Counterbattery measures of the southern group of forces hit a 155mm Krab self-propelled artillery system, a 155mm M198 howitzer, a 152mm Msta-B howitzer, two 152mm D-20 howitzers, two 122mm D-30 howitzers, a 105mm M119 gun, and three Anklav-N EW stations, the ministry said.