MOSCOW. Sept 12 (Interfax) - The Russian southern group of forces has moved deeper into Ukrainian lines, while the western, central and eastern groups of forces have improved their positions, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.
"Units from the southern group of forces kept moving deeper into the enemy lines and struck detachments of the 24th and 42nd Mechanized Brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the 116th Territorial Defense Brigade near the communities of Konstantinovka, Grigorovka and Chasov Yar in the Donetsk People's Republic," the statement said.
In the southern group of forces' zone of operation, the Ukrainian Army lost up to 745 troops, a U.S.-made M113 armored personnel carrier, 26 trucks and seven howitzers. A field ammo depot and an Anklav-N electronic countermeasures station were destroyed, the ministry said.
Meanwhile, the western, central and eastern groups of forces improved their position, it said.
"Units from the western group of forces improved their tactical position and hit troops and hardware of the 14th and 44th Mechanized Brigades and the 3rd Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the First National Guard Brigade near the communities of Kupyansk in the Kharkov region, Novoyegorovka in the Lugansk People's Republic, and the Serebryanskoye forest area. Three counterattacks by assault groups of the Fourth National Guard Brigade were repelled," the statement said.
The Ukrainian Army lost up to 445 troops, two U.S.-made M113 armored personnel carriers, three trucks, and eight howitzers there, it said. Anklav-N and Kvertus electronic countermeasures stations and two field ammo depots were destroyed, the ministry said.
"Units from the central group of forces improved their frontlines and struck detachments of the 32nd Mechanized Brigade and the 95th Air Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the 109th Territorial Defense Brigade near the communities of Nelepovka, Druzhba, Rozovka and Dobropolye in the Donetsk People's Republic," it said.
The group repelled eight counterattacks by assault groups of the 32nd Mechanized Brigade, the 144th Infantry Brigade and the 25th Airborne Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the Second and 14th National Guard Brigades, the ministry said.
The Ukrainian Army lost up to 495 troops, a tank, two armored combat vehicles, four pickup trucks, three howitzers, and a Rapira anti-tank gun there, it said.
"Units from the eastern group of forces took better lines and positions and struck detachments of the 72nd Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the 108th Territorial Defense Brigade, and the 21st National Guard Brigade near Oktyabr and Ugledar in the Donetsk People's Republic. Two counterattacks by the enemy's assault groups were repelled," the ministry said.
There, the Ukrainian Army lost over 120 troops, seven trucks and a howitzer. A Nota electronic countermeasures station was destroyed, the statement said.
"The northern group of forces operating in the Liptsy and Volchansk sectors hit detachments of the 22nd Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the 36th Marine Brigade, and the 113th Territorial Defense Brigade near the communities of Vysokaya Yaruga, Liptsy and Volchansk in the Kharkov region," it said.
The Ukrainian Army lost up to 155 troops, two howitzers, and an Anklav-N electronic countermeasures station there, the statement said. A field ammo depot was destroyed, it said.
"Units from the Dnepr group of forces struck troops and hardware of the 39th Coastal Defense Brigade and the 108th Territorial Defense Brigade near the communities of Belogorye and Malaya Tokmachka in the Zaporozhye region," it said.
The Ukrainian Army lost up to 40 troops, a U.S.-made M113 armored personnel carrier, six trucks, howitzers, and an Anklav-N electronic countermeasures station there, the ministry said.