MOSCOW. Sept 19 (Interfax) - The Russian southern group of forces has taken control of Georgiyevka in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), the Russian Defense Ministry said on Thursday.
"As a result of intensive and resolute actions, units from the southern group of forces have taken control of Georgiyevka in the Donetsk People's Republic," the ministry said.
Russian forces have struck detachments of seven Ukrainian brigades near Konstantinovka, Kurakhovo, Grigorovka, Zaliznyanskoye and Chasov Yar in the DPR, it said.
"The Ukrainian Army lost up to 690 troops, two German-made Marder infantry vehicles, eight trucks, a 155mm M777 howitzer, a U.S.-made 105mm M119 howitzer, three 122mm D-30 howitzers, an Anklav-N EW station, and a U.S.-made AN/TPQ-50 counter-mortar radar," the ministry said.
Units from the western group of forces improved their tactical position and hit eight Ukrainian brigades near Kovsharovka, Vasilevka, Petropavlovka, Borovaya and Kruglyakova in the Kharkov region, Krasny Liman and Serebryanka in the DPR, and Novovodyanoye in the LPR, it said.
The Ukrainian Army lost up to 420 troops, a Kozak armored combat vehicle, 11 trucks, eight artillery systems, three EW stations, and three field ammo depots, the ministry said.
"Units from the central group of forces took better positions and hit troops and hardware of the 68th Infantry Brigade, the 71st Jaeger Brigade, and the Fifth Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and the 109th Territorial Defense Brigade near Dzerzhinsk, Kalinovo, Gorky, Mikhailovka, and Rorovka in the DPR," it said.
Russian forces repelled nine counterattacks by Ukrainian assault groups, the ministry said.
"The enemy lost over 510 troops, two trucks, a 152mm Msta-B howitzer, a 122mm D-30 howitzer, a U.S.-made 105mm M101 howitzer, and a 100mm Rapira gun," it said.
"Units from the eastern group of forces improved their frontlines and hit troops and hardware of the 58th Motorized Infantry Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the 118th Territorial Defense Brigade near Dobrovolye and Zolotaya Niva in the Donetsk People's Republic," the ministry said.
Two counterattacks by assault groups of the 72nd Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were repelled, it said.
"The enemy lost up to 95 troops, two trucks, a French-made 155mm Caesar self-propelled artillery system, a 155mm Bogdana self-propelled artillery system, and a 122mm D-30 howitzer," it said.
Units from the northern group of forces, operating in the Liptsy and Volchansk sectors, hit Ukrainian positions near Liptsy and Volchansk in the Kharkov region and Kharkov, and repelled a counterattack, the ministry said.
The Ukrainian Army lost over 195 troops, an armored personnel carrier, three trucks, and a Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, it said.
"Units from the Dnepr group of forces hit detachments of the 141st Infantry Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the 39th Coastal Defense Brigade near Veselyanka and Yulyevka in the Zaporozhye region," the ministry said.
"The Ukrainian Army lost up to 30 troops and two trucks," it said.