MOSCOW. Nov 18 (Interfax) - The Russian central group of forces has taken control of Novoalexeyevka in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), the Russian Defense Ministry said on Monday.
"Intensive and resolute operations of units from the central group of forces have allowed taking control of Novoalekseyevka in the Donetsk People's Republic," the ministry said.
The central group of forces hit troops and hardware of the 54th and 100th Mechanized Brigades and 142nd Infantry Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as well as the 116th Territorial Defense Brigade near Dzerzhinsk, Voznesenka and Ukrainka in the Donetsk People's Republic.
Eleven Ukrainian counterattacks were repelled, the ministry said.
Ukrainian forces lost over 500 troops, an M113 armored personnel carrier, a 155mm M777 howitzer, a pickup truck, a 155mm Krab self-propelled artillery system, two 152mm D-20 howitzers, a 122mm Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, two 122mm D-30 howitzers, and two 100mm Rapira antitank guns, it said.