MOSCOW. Sept 25 (Interfax) - Russia's central group of forces has moved deeper into Ukrainian lines, while the western and eastern groups have improved their position, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.
"Units from the central group of forces continued to move into enemy lines and struck troops and hardware of the 23rd Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the 116th and 118th Territorial Defense Brigades, and the 12th National Guard Brigade near Kleban-Byk, Gornyak, Zoryanoye and Shcherbinovka in the Donetsk People's Republic [DPR]," the ministry said in a statement.
Nine counterattacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian 25th Airborne Brigade, 59th Motorized Infantry Brigade, 68th Jaeger Brigade, and 100th and 151st Mechanized Brigades were repelled, it said.
In the central group of forces' zone of operation, the Ukrainian army lost up to 580 troops, an armored combat vehicle, four trucks, and eight howitzers, it said.
Meanwhile, the western and eastern groups of forces have improved their position, it said.
"Units from the western group of forces took better lines and positions and hit troops and hardware of the 14th, 28th and 116th Mechanized Brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the 115th Territorial Defense Brigade near Kupyansk, Boguslavka, Kolesnikovka, Kruglyakovka and Lozovaya in the Kharkov region," it said.
Three counterattacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian 66th Mechanized Brigade were repelled, it said.
In that area, the Ukrainian army lost up to 390 troops, ten trucks, two Czech-made Vampire multiple rocket launcher vehicles, and ten howitzers. Two electronic warfare stations and four ammo depots were destroyed, it said.
"Units from the western group of forces improved their front lines and struck detachments of the 33rd Mechanized Brigade and the 58th Motorized Infantry Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the 118th Territorial Defense Brigade near Novoukrainka, Zelyonoye Pole and Zolotaya Niva in the DPR," it said.
Three counterattacks by assault groups of the 72nd Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the 110th Territorial Defense Brigade were repelled, it said.
There, the Ukrainian army lost up to 135 troops, three trucks and two howitzers, it said.
"Units from the northern group of forces hit detachments of the 21st Mechanized Brigade and the 57th Motorized Infantry Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, in addition to the 36th Marine Brigade and the 113th Territorial Defense Brigade near Barilo in the Sumy region, and Liptsy, Volchansk and Volchanskiye Khutora in the Kharkov region," it said.
Three counterattacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian 82nd Air Assault Brigade were repelled, it said.
In that sector of the front, the Ukrainian army lost up to 120 troops, three tanks, an infantry vehicle, four trucks, two Grad multiple rocket launchers, and seven howitzers, it said.
"Units from the Dnepr group of forces hit troops and hardware of the 128th Air Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the 35th and 37th Marine Brigades, and the 124th Territorial Defense Brigade near Zherebyanki in the Zaporozhye region, Vesyoloye and Ivanovka in the Kherson region, and the city of Kherson," it said.
According to the ministry, the Ukrainian army lost up to 30 troops, three trucks and two howitzers in the area. An ammo depot was also destroyed.