MOSCOW. June 19 (Interfax) - Russian forces have taken control of Novonikolayevka in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.
"Units from the central group of forces have moved deeper into enemy defense lines and took control of Novonikolayevka in the DPR," the statement said.
The central group of forces struck detachments of three mechanized brigades, an air assault brigade, and a jaeger brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, two marine brigades and a National Guard brigade near Novosergeyevka, Petrovskoye, Grodovka, Krasnoarmeisk and Rusin Yar in the DPR, the ministry said. Ukrainian forces lost up to 460 troops, seven armored combat vehicles, two vehicles, and three artillery systems over the day, it said.
"Units from the northern group of forces took better lines and positions and hit concentrations of troops and hardware of two mechanized brigades, a jaeger brigade, an air assault brigade, and two assault regiments of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near Novaya Sech, Alekseyevka, Pisarevka, Andreyevka, Ryzhevka and Kondratovka in the Sumy region," the ministry said.
Units of a mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and a territorial defense brigade were struck near Udy and Reznikovo in the Kharkov region, it said.
"The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost more than 220 troops, an armored combat vehicle, four vehicles, an artillery system and three ammo depots," the ministry said.
"Units from the southern group of forces improved their tactical position and struck troops and hardware of two mechanized brigades, a mountain assault brigade, an assault brigade, and an airmobile brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, in addition to a territorial defense brigade near Seversk, Vyemka, Minkovka, Fyodorovka, Kleban-Byk and Konstantinovka in the Donetsk People's Republic," the ministry said.
Over the day, Ukrainian forces lost up to 205 troops, two pickup trucks, two artillery systems and two ammo depots, it said.
"Units from the western group of forces have improved their tactical position and hit detachments of two mechanized brigades and an air assault brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and a territorial defense brigade near Kolodeznoye, Peschanoye and Kupyansk in the Kharkov region and Kirovsk in the Donetsk People's Republic," it said.
Ukrainian forces lost over 200 troops, eight vehicles, two EW stations and three ammo depots over the day, the ministry said.
"Units from the eastern group of forces moved farther into enemy defense lines and hit troops and hardware of two mechanized brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and two territorial defense brigades near Poddubnoye and Vesyoloye in the Donetsk People's Republic, Gulyaipole in the Zaporozhye region, and Stepovoye in the Dnepropetrovsk region," the ministry said.
Ukrainian forces lost up to 195 troops, two armored combat vehicles, eight vehicles and two artillery systems over the day, it said.
"Units from the Dnepr group of forces struck detachments of a mechanized brigade, a mountain assault brigade, and a coastal defense brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and two territorial defense brigades near Malaya Tokmachka, Kamenskoye and Novoandreyevka in the Zaporozhye region and Antonovka and Nikolskoye in the Kherson region. Ukrainian forces lost up to 85 troops, nine vehicles, an EW station, and an ammo depot," the ministry said.