MOSCOW, November 18. /TASS/. Ukrainian troops sustained at least 180 casualties as they attempted to drive Russian forces back near the locality of Kotlino outside Krasnoarmeysk (known as Pokrovsk in Ukraine), a Russian security official told TASS.

"Being aware of the catastrophic situation facing their battlegroup in the Pokrovsk-Mirnograd sector of the line of engagement, Ukrainian commanders have made a series of futile attempts to counterattack our positions. In the past three days, the enemy made attempts at a counterattack against our forces near the locality of Kotlino, but lost at least 180 personnel from the 152nd and 155th brigades as a result," the official said.

According to him, as Ukrainian assault teams moved across open terrain, they did not have enough fire support.