DONETSK, May 2. /TASS/. Over 1,000 Ukrainian army's servicemen have been killed or injured since the start of the military operation in Donbass under Sergey Nayev's command, head of the people's militia of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) Eduard Basurin said on Thursday.

"A total of 219 Ukrainian servicemen were killed and 844 more injured since Nayev assumed command," Donetsk News Agency quoted Basurin as saying. He added that 1,252 Ukrainian servicemen are listed as missing or deserted. Basurin also said that over 70 pieces of Ukrainian military equipment broke down as a result of careless handling.

The head of the DPR people's militia also refuted Nayev's statement that Ukrainian forces have regained control over three settlements and the territory of 24 sq km in Donbass since last spring.

On 30 April 2018 Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko announced the start of the anti-terrorist operation in Donbass.