MOSCOW, May 8. /TASS/. Russian forces liberated the settlement of Troitskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic before the start of the Victory Day ceasefire, the Defense Ministry said in a statement.
"Units of Battlegroup Center carried out active operations, liberating the settlement of Troitskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the statement reads.
In addition, they hit the troops of a Ukrainian heavy mechanized brigade, three mechanized brigades, an assault brigade, a marine brigade and a National Guard brigade near Novoolenovka, Ulyanovka, Mirolyubovka, Mikhailovka, Novaya Poltavka, Novoalexandrovka, Kotlyarovka and Alexeyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic.
"The enemy lost up to 510 troops, and five armored combat vehicles, including a US-made BATT UMG combat vehicle and a Turkish-made Kirpi vehicle, as well as a US-made Paladin 155 mm self-propelled howitzer and a Bukovel-AD electronic warfare system," the ministry added.
Battlegroup West
Russia’s Battlegroup West moved to more advantageous positions before the Victory Day ceasefire took effect on May 8, the Defense Ministry said.
"Units of Battlegroup West moved to more advantageous positions. They hit the forces of two Ukrainian mechanized brigades, an air mobile brigade and a National Guard Brigade near Redkodub, Kirovsk, Torskoye and Yampol in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Kupyansk in the Kharkov Region. The Ukrainian armed forces lost up to 235 troops, three armored combat vehicles, including a US-made M113 vehicle, as well as eight pickup trucks, four artillery systems including two NATO-made ones, and two electronic warfare systems.
Battlegroup South
Russia’s Battlegroup South improved its tactical position before the start of the Victory Day ceasefire, making Ukraine lose over 290 troops, the ministry added.
"Units of Battlegroup South improved their tactical position. They hit the troops and equipment of six Ukrainian mechanized brigades, an air mobile brigade and a territorial defense brigade near Serebryanka, Zakotnoye, Alexandro-Shulgino, Pleshcheyevka, Alexandro-Kalinovo, Ilyinovka, Zarya and Konstantinovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The Ukrainian armed forces lost over 290 troops, three armored combat vehicles, five motor vehicles and two field artillery systems. Two ammunition depots were destroyed," the statement reads.
Battlegroup East
Over the past day before the start of the ceasefire, the Ukrainian armed forces lost up to 195 servicemen in the area of responsibility of the Battlegroup East, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.
"Units of the Battlegroup East continued to advance deep into the enemy's defense. They inflicted losses on the manpower and equipment of the mechanized, airborne assault brigades of the Ukrainian armed forces and two defense brigades in the areas of the settlements of Bogatyr, Novoukrainka, Fedorovka of the Donetsk People's Republic and Temirovka of the Zaporozhye region. The enemy lost 195 servicemen, an armored combat vehicle, four cars, five field artillery guns, a combat vehicle of the BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launcher and an electronic warfare station," the ministry said.
Battlegroup North
Ukraine lost up to 215 troops, two tanks and an ammunition depot in the area of responsibility of Russia’s Battlegroup North in the past day, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
"Before the start of the ceasefire, units of Battlegroup North hit the troops and equipment of a tank brigade, three mechanized brigades, an assault regiment and two territorial defense brigades near Ryzhyovka, Pavlovka, Yunakovka, Miropolye and Turya in the Sumy Region and Veliky Burluk in the Kharkov Region. The Ukrainian armed forces lost up to 215 troops, two tanks, five armored combat vehicles, 11 motor vehicles, a counter-obstacle vehicle, four field artillery systems and an ammunition depot," the statement reads.
Battlegroup Dnepr
The Ukrainian armed forces lost up to 80 servicemen, an ammunition depot and one electronic warfare station in the day before the ceasefire began, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.
"Units of the Battlegroup Dnepr inflicted losses on formations of three mechanized brigades, three coastal defense brigades of the Ukrainian armed forces and two defense brigades in the areas of the settlements of Novodanilovka, Pavlovka, Kamenskoye in the Zaporozhye region, Ilyinka in the Dnepropetrovsk region and Ponyatovka in the Kherson region. Up to 80 servicemen, two combat armored vehicles, four cars, an artillery piece, an electronic warfare station and an ammunition depot were destroyed," the ministry said.