MOSCOW. Nov 12 (Interfax) - The central group of forces has moved deeper into Ukrainian defense lines, while the southern, western and eastern groups of forces have improved their positions, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.
"Units from the central group of forces kept moving deeper into enemy defense lines and hit troops and hardware of the 100th Mechanized Brigade, 142nd Infantry Brigade, and 68th Jaeger Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as well as the 116th Territorial Defense Brigade near Dzerzhinsk, Voznesenka, Dyleyevka and Ukrainka in the Donetsk People's Republic," the ministry said.
The group repelled 11 counterattacks by assault groups of the 23rd, 42nd, 154th and 117th Mechanized Brigades and 152nd Jaeger Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as well as the 35th Marine Brigade, and the Lyut Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian National Police, it said.
In that sector, the Ukrainian Armed Forces lost up to 470 troops, a German-made Leopard tank, three armored personnel carriers, a U.S.-made MaxxPro armored combat vehicle, a Kozak armored vehicle, seven trucks, and five howitzers, the ministry said.
The southern, western and eastern groups of forces improved their positions, it said.
"Units from the southern group of forces improved their frontlines and hit detachments of the 24th and 30th Mechanized Brigades, 46th Airmobile Brigade and 79th Air Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and 124th Territorial Defense Brigade near Slavyansk, Nikolayevka, Predtechino, Dachnoye and Kurakhovo in the Donetsk People's Republic," the ministry said.
The group repelled five counterattacks by assault groups of the 33rd and 54th Mechanized Brigades and 77th and 81st Airmobile Brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, it said.
According to the ministry, the Ukrainian army lost up to 765 troops, an armored personnel carrier, a truck and two howitzers in that sector. Two EW stations and two field ammo depots were destroyed.
"Units from the western group of forces improved their tactical position and hit troops and hardware of the 42nd, 60th, 63rd and 115th Mechanized Brigades and Third Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near Nadia in the Lugansk People's Republic, Kupyansk and Ostrovskoye in the Kharkov region, and Krasny Liman, Yampolovka and Torskoye in the Donetsk People's Republic," the ministry said.
The group repelled three counterattacks by assault groups of the 14th Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and First National Guard Brigade, it said.
In the western group of forces' zone of operations, Ukrainian forces lost up to 470 troops, five trucks and five howitzers. An Anklav-N EW station and four field ammo depots were destroyed, the ministry said.
"Units from the eastern group of forces took better lines and positions and hit detachments of the 33rd Mechanized Brigade and 128th Mountain Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as well as the 37th Marine Brigade and 128th Territorial Defense Brigade near Temirovka in the Zaporozhye region, and Sukhiye Yaly, Zelyonoye Pole and Rovnopol in the Donetsk People's Republic. Four counterattacks by the 123rd Territorial Defense Brigade were repelled," it said.
In the eastern group of forces' zone of responsibility, Ukrainian forces lost up to 150 troops, a tank, six trucks and a howitzer, the ministry said.
In the Kharkov sector, units from the northern group of forces hit detachments of the 22nd Mechanized Brigade and 57th Motorized Infantry Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and 103rd and 113th Territorial Defense Brigades near Bochkovo, Udy, Izbitskoye and Kazachya Lopan in the Kharkov region. Ukrainian forces lost up to 60 troops, an armored combat vehicle and two trucks in that sector, the ministry said.
Units from the Dnepr group of forces hit troops and hardware of the 110th Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and 103rd and 126th Territorial Defense Brigades near Novodanilovka in the Zaporozhye region and Olgovka and Nikolskoye in the Kherson region. There, Ukrainian forces lost up to 70 troops, four trucks, and a field ammo depot, it said.