MOSCOW, October 12. /TASS/. Russian forces destroyed two Ukrainian motorized artillery systems and a US-made howitzer in the Kupyansk area in the past day, Russia’s Battlegroup West Spokesman Sergey Zybinsky told TASS on Thursday.

"In counter-battery fire, the battlegroup’s artillery destroyed two 122mm 2S1 Gvozdika motorized artillery guns, a 155mm M777 towed howitzer and three mortar teams near Kruglyakovka, Ivanovka and Sinkovka. The enemy’s losses totaled as many as two companies of personnel, an infantry fighting vehicle and a pickup truck," the spokesman said.

The crews of Russian Su-34 fighter-bombers delivered seven air strikes at temporary deployment sites of units from the Ukrainian army’s 14th and 41st mechanized brigades and the amassment area of the armor reserve of the enemy’s 43rd mechanized brigade in areas near the settlements of Peschanoye and Petropavlovka, he said.

"In addition, the crews of heavy flamethrower systems delivered a strike at platoon strongholds of the 32nd mechanized brigade near Timkovka," the spokesman said.