MOSCOW, August 15. /TASS/. The Russian battlegroup West has repelled five Ukrainian counterattacks in Kupyansk area over day, Sergey Zybinsky, the battlegroup’s spokesman, told TASS.

"In order to regain lost positions in the Kupyansk area, the enemy launched five counterattacks on our positions by units of the 14th independent mechanized brigade and the 95th independent airborne assault brigade. All counterattacks were thwarted by the group's artillery. The enemy's losses amounted to up to a platoon of infantry," he said.

According to Zybinsky, the enemy assault groups of the 44th independent mechanized brigade twice attacked the positions of the Russian troops near the village of Novoselovskoye. "The enemy's advance was detected in time. The [Russian] units inflicted fire damage from towed howitzers Hyacinth-B and Msta-S. All attacks were repulsed. Up to one platoon was destroyed," the spokesman added.

The crews of the Ka-52 and Mi-35 attack helicopters of the western battlegroup carried out 12 air strikes on the concentrations of manpower and firepower of units of the 14th and 32nd separate mechanized brigades and territorial defense units near the settlements of Sinkova, Stelmakhovka and Kislovka.