MOSCOW, August 31. /TASS/. Russian airborne troops repelled an attack by Ukrainian army west of Artyomovsk, the Russian defense ministry said on Thursday.

"Unmanned aerial vehicles of Russian airborne troops detected areas of deployment of Ukrainian militants in the forest near the city of Artyomovsk. Their coordinates were conveyed to the artillery command post and an artillery strike was delivered. An enemy infantry group trying to find shelter in the forest was neutralized by targeted fire from howitzers. The enemy was demoralized and retreated leaving their dead and wounded in the forest," it said, adding that the attempted counterattack was staged by Ukrainian troops west of Artyomovsk.