MOSCOW, January 2. /TASS/. Ukraine lost up to 50 troops and three howitzers in the Zaporozhye area in the past day, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

"In the Zaporozhye area, Russian forces repelled an attack by the assault teams of the 117th Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian armed forces north of Novoprokopovka in the Zaporozhye Region, and inflicted fire damage on units of the 33rd and 65th mechanized brigades, the 82nd Air Assault Brigade and the 128th Mountain Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian armed forces near Verbovoye and Rabotino in the Zaporozhye Region," the statement reads.

According to the ministry, the enemy lost over 50 troops, two armored combat vehicles, two motor vehicles, two D-30 howitzers and a D-20 howitzer.