MOSCOW, March 2. /TASS/. The Russian armed forces continued to occupy favorable positions in the Avdeyevka area, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

"In the Avdeyevka direction, Russia’s battlegroup Center continued to occupy more advantageous lines and positions, defeating the manpower and equipment of the 107th Ukrainian territorial defense brigade near Tonenkoye of the Donetsk People's Republic. Eight counterattacks by assault groups of the 24th mechanized, 3rd assault and 25th airborne brigades were repulsed near Petrovskoye, Leninskoye and Orlovka of the Donetsk People's Republic," the ministry said, adding that the enemy lost up to 160 servicemen, five armored fighting vehicles, including a US-made Bradley infantry fighting vehicle and a Msta-B howitzer.

Also, the Russian armed forces struck the Ukrainian manpower and equipment in 112 areas over the day, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

"Russiam forces hit the Ukrainian manpower and military equipment in 112 areas," the ministry said.

Kherson area

The Russian armed forces wiped out over 60 Ukraninian servicemen in the Kherson area over the past 24 hours, and destroyed an enemy ammunition depot, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

"In the Kherson area, Russia’s battlegroup Dnepr defeated the manpower and equipment of the 118th Ukrainian mechanized brigade, the 35th marine brigade and the 126th territorial defense brigade near Ivanovka in the Kherson Region and Rabotino, Malaya Tokmachka in the Zaporozhye Region. The Ukrainian losses amounted to up to 60 servicemen, three vehicles and an ammunition depot," the statement said.

Donetsk area

The Ukrainian armed forces lost up to 270 servicemen and 16 units of equipment in the south Donetsk area over the past day, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

"In the South Donetsk area, Russia’s battlegroup East defeated the 72nd Ukrainian mechanized, 58th motorized infantry brigades and the 121st territorial defense brigade near Novodonetskoye, Ugledar and Staromayorskoye of the Donetsk People's Republic. The enemy losses amounted to up to 270 servicemen, two tanks, two infantry fighting vehicles, three armored fighting vehicles, seven vehicles, a US-made Paladin self-propelled howitzerand a Msta-B howitzer," the ministry said.