MOSCOW, January 8. /TASS/. Eighteen Ukrainian servicemen have been taken prisoner west of the Kurakhovo settlement in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

"Units of the Battlegroup South have taken more favorable positions. They defeated the formations of two mechanized and an air mobile brigades of the Ukrainian army in the areas of Seversk, Belogorovka, Chasov Yar, Vasyukovka and Yantarnoye in the DPR. Three counterattacks by enemy assault groups were repulsed. Ukraine lost more than 280 servicemen; 18 soldiers of the 46th air mobile brigade were captured west of Kurakhovo," it said.

Russia’s army also destroyed a tank, an infantry fighting vehicle, a US-made M113 armored personnel carrier, seven pickup trucks, two artillery pieces and an ammunition depot.

Air defenses

"Air defense means shot down six rockets of the US-made HIMARS multiple rocket launcher system and 105 fixed-wing drones," the ministry said.

It noted that a total of 652 airplanes, 283 helicopters, 39,723 unmanned aerial vehicles, 590 anti-aircraft missile systems, 20,290 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,507 multiple rocket launchers, 20,284 field artillery and mortar guns, and 29,983 items of special military vehicles have been destroyed since the beginning of the special military operation.

Battlegroup East

"The units of Battlegroup East have advanced deep into the enemy's defenses, defeating the formations of Ukraine's mechanized and two airborne assault brigades near the settlements of Bogatyr, Velikaya Novoselka, Razliv, and Konstantinopol in the Donetsk People's Republic. A counterattack by enemy assault units was repelled. Ukraine lost 160 servicemen," the statement said.

Additionally, the enemy’s losses include a US-made MaxxPro armored fighting vehicle, a car, and four artillery pieces, including a 155-mm Polish-made Krab self-propelled howitzer. Russian forces also destroyed a Ukrainian materiel depot and a radio-electronic warfare station.

Battlegroup North

"Units of the Battlegroup North struck Ukrainian formations of a motorized infantry brigade in the Volchansk area of the Kharkov Region. Kiev lost up to 40 servicemen, a combat armored vehicle, and an artillery piece," the statement said.

Battlegroup Dnepr

According to the ministry, units of the Battlegroup Dnepr struck personnel and equipment of a Ukrainian mechanized brigade in the Malaya Tokmachka area of the Zaporozhye Region. The enemy lost up to 70 servicemen, nine vehicles, and a field artillery piece.

Battlegroup West

"The units of the Battlegroup West improved their tactical position and defeated manpower and equipment of two Ukrainian mechanized brigades in the areas of Boguslavka, Dvurechnaya, Zagoruikovka and Petropavlovka in the Kharkov Region. The servicemen also repulsed a counterattack by a Ukrainian assault group.The enemy lost up to 380 servicemen, an infantry fighting vehicle, two US-made HMMWV armored fighting vehicles, eight automobiles and four artillery pieces," the report said.

In addition, five Ukrainian ammunition depots were destroyed over the day.

Battlegroup Center

"The units of the Battlegroup Center strengthened their frontline positions and defeated the manpower and equipment of five mechanized brigades, one jaeger brigade, one airborne assault brigade, two assault battalions, one marine infantry brigade, one territorial defense brigade, two National Guard brigades, and the Ukrainian national police brigade in the areas of Alekseyevka, Andreyevka, Nadezhdinka, Krasnoye, Shevchenko, Dzerzhinsk, Volkovo, Krasnoarmeysk, Dimitrov, Peschanoye, Vozdvizhenka, Novoyelezavetovka, Shcherbinovka, and Novoalexandrovka in the Donetsk People's Republic. Thirteen counterattacks by Ukrainian formations were repelled. The enemy lost over 530 servicemen," the ministry stated.

In addition, Ukraine lost two armored combat vehicles, three automobiles and two towed guns.