MOSCOW, December 9. /TASS/. The Ukrainian armed forces lost up to 80 troops in the South Donetsk area in the past 24 hours, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported.

"In the South Donetsk area, the units of the East military group supported by aviation and artillery repelled an attack by the Ukrainian army’s 58th mechanized infantry brigade near the settlement of Novodonetskoye of the Donetsk People’s Republic. The Ukrainian army’s losses equaled up to 80 troops killed and wounded and two vehicles," the ministry said.