MOSCOW. Aug 29 (Interfax) - Russian forces have taken control of the village of Stelmakhovka in the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR), the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.
"As a result of resolute actions, units from the western group of forces took control of the village of Stelmakhovka in the LPR and hit troops and hardware of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' 14th Mechanized Brigade and 4th Tank Brigade near the communities of Petropavlovka and Kupyansk in the Kharkov region and the communities of Korskoye and Serebryanka in the Donetsk People's Republic [DPR]," the statement said.
The group repelled six counterattacks by units from the Ukrainian First National Guard Brigade, the 110th and 117th Territorial Defense Brigades, and the 12th Azov Special Operations Brigade, which is banned in Russia, it said.
In the group's zone of responsibility, the Ukrainian army lost up to 520 troops, six trucks, four howitzers, and an Anklav-N and a Kvertus electronic countermeasures stations. In addition, Russian forces destroyed three ammo depots, it said.
"Units from the southern group of forces took better lines and hit troops and hardware of the Ukrainian 24th, 54th and 93rd Mechanized Brigades, 56th Motorized Infantry Brigade and 4th Tank Brigade near the communities of Chasov Yar, Krasnogorovka, Karpovka, Stupochki and Konstantinovka in the DPR," it said.
The Ukrainian army lost up to 740 troops, a U.S.-made M113 armored personnel carrier, two trucks, eight howitzers, and three electronic countermeasures stations there, it said.
"Units from the eastern group of forces improved their tactical position and hit troops and hardware of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' 58th Motorized Infantry Brigade and the 128th Territorial Defense Brigade near the communities of Velikaya Novosyolka and Novoukrainka in the DPR. Three counterattacks by units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were repelled," it said.
In that area, the Ukrainian army lost up to 105 troops, an infantry vehicle, six trucks, a howitzer, and an electronic countermeasures station, it said.
"Units from the northern group of forces operating in the Volchansk, Bryansk and Liptsy sectors hit detachments of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' 22nd Mechanized Brigade, the 36th Marine Brigade, and the 118th Territorial Defense Brigade near Pustogorod in the Sumy region, and Volchansk and Liptsy in the Kharkov region. Two counterattacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian 22nd Mechanized Brigade were repelled," it said.
The Ukrainian army lost up to 185 troops, three trucks and three howitzers in the area, it said.
"Units from the Dnepr group of forces hit detachments of the 128th Mountain Assault Brigade and the 44th Artillery Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near the communities of Pavlovka and Stepovoye in the Zaporozhye region," it said.
In the group's zone of responsibility, the Ukrainian army lost up to 45 troops, a U.S.-made M113 armored personnel carrier, a howitzer, and two electronic countermeasures stations, and an ammo depot was destroyed, it said.