The Ukrainian armed forces have suffered over 5,100 military casualties in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) in the past week as a result of operations by the southern, central and eastern groupings of the Russian armed forces, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Saturday.
"During the week, in this direction [as a result of actions by the central grouping of Russian forces] Kiev lost more than 2,405 servicepeople, three tanks, including US-made Abrams, 20 armored combat vehicles, including four US-made Bradley, 27 vehicles, 33 field artillery guns, including 14 of Western manufacture," the ministry said.
As a result of successful operations, the units of the central grouping of Russian forces improved the front line and liberated the towns of Novobakhmutovka, Semenovka and Berdychi in the Donetsk People's Republic.
They also defeated formations of 14 Ukrainian brigades and repulsed 66 enemy counterattacks in the areas of Leninske, Umanske, Niu-York, Novokalinove, Ocheretyne and Netailove, the defense ministry said. In addition, units of Russia's eastern grouping improved their tactical position during the week, with Kiev losing up to 745 troops, the ministry said.
Russian troops of the southern grouping continued to advance deep into Ukraine's defenses over the past week, defeating 14 brigades and repelling four counterattacks, with Kiev losing more than 2,000 soldiers, it added.
The western grouping of Russian forces destroyed one tank, three armored fighting vehicles, two Grad MLRS combat vehicles, and 27 field artillery pieces, including 13 Western-made, while Ukraine lost up to 975 soldiers, the ministry said.