MOSCOW. Sept 16 (Interfax) - The central group of forces is moving deeper into Ukrainian defense lines, while the western, eastern and southern groups have improved their position, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Monday.
"Units from the central group of forces kept moving deeper into enemy lines and hit troops and hardware of the 23rd, 24th, 47th and 63rd Mechanized Brigades, the 152nd Infantry Brigade, and the 68th Jaeger Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the 122nd Territorial Defense Brigade, and the 15th National Guard Brigade near Petrovka, Shcherbinovka, Dzerzhinsk, Nelepovka, Dimitrov, Krasnoarmeisk, Grodovka, Gnatovka, Selidovo, Lesovka and Ukrainsk in the Donetsk People's Republic," the statement said.
The group repelled nine counterattacks by assault groups of the 30th, 32nd, 100th and 151st Mechanized Brigades and the 25th Airborne Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the 3rd and 12th National Guard Brigades, and the Lyut Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian National Police, it said.
In that area, Ukrainian forces lost over 530 troops, three armored personnel carriers, three pickup trucks and two howitzers, it said.
The western, eastern and southern 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 43rd, 44th and 67th Mechanized Brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the 103rd, 110th and 117th Territorial Defense Brigades, and the Azov Special Ops. Brigade (banned in Russia) near Staroverovka, Petropavlovka, Kucherovka, Novoosinovo, Kruglyakovka and Vishnyovoye in the Kharkov region, Rozovka, Makeyevka and Nevskoye in the Lugansk People's Republic, Torskoye in the Donetsk People's Republic, and the Serebryanskoye forest area," the ministry said in a statement.
The group repelled eight counterattacks by assault groups of the 14th, 63rd and 116th Mechanized Brigades, the 3rd Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and the 1st National Guard Brigade, it said.
In that area, Ukrainian forces lost up to 600 troops, a Kozak armored combat vehicle, ten pickup trucks, and three howitzers, the ministry said, adding that three electronic warfare stations and four field ammo depots were destroyed.
"Units from the southern group of forces took better lines and positions and hit detachments of the 54th and 93rd Mechanized Brigades, the 143rd and 144th Infantry Brigades, the 5th Assault Brigade, the 10th Mountain Assault Brigades, the 77th Airmobile Brigade, and the 95th Air Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and the 114th, 119th, 124th and 125th Territorial Defense Brigades near Seversk, Verkhnekamenskoye, Zvanovka, Pervomaisky, Nikolayevka, Predtechino and Kurakhovo of the Donetsk People's Republic," it said.
The Ukrainian forces lost there up to 550 troops, four trucks, and seven howitzers, while an electronic warfare station and two field ammo depots were destroyed, it said.
"Units from the eastern group of forces improved their frontlines and hit detachments of the 61st and 72nd Mechanized Brigades and the 58th Motorized Infantry Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the 118th Territorial Defense Brigade near Dobrovolye, Zolotaya Niva and the Uglesborochnaya rail station in the Donetsk People's Republic," it said.
Russian forces repelled a counterattack by an assault group of the 116th Territorial Defense Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, it said.
In the group's zone of operation, the Ukrainian Army lost up to 115 troops, a tank, an armored combat vehicle, four trucks, and an electronic warfare station, the ministry's statement said.
"Units from the northern group of forces operating in the Lipetsk and Volchansk sectors hit detachments of the 36th Marine Brigade and the 125th and 127th Territorial Defense Brigades near Liptsy, Izbitskoye and Volchanskiye Khutora in the Kharkov region," it said.
There, the Ukrainian Army lost up to 70 troops and two trucks, it said.
Units from the Dnepr group of forces hit concentrations of troops and hardware of the 128th Mountain Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the 37th Marine Brigade, and the 121st and 123rd Territorial Defense Brigades near Novoalexandrovka, Gavrilovka, Kamyshany, Pridneprovskoye and Veletenskoye in the Kherson region and Pyatikhatki in the Zaporozhye region, it said.
In that area, Ukrainian forces lost up to 50 troops, two trucks, two howitzers, and a field ammo depot, it said.