The Russian army has thwarted an attempt to break through by Ukrainian units in the Kursk region, western Russia, the Defense Ministry in Moscow said, quoted by Reuters, BTA reported.
The main Ukrainian forces were concentrated in the area of the village of Berdin, and in the fighting they suffered losses in manpower and tanks, the Russian military ministry's statement also said.
Reuters notes that it cannot independently confirm the information announced by Moscow about the situation on the battlefield. Ukraine has not yet provided details of its operations in the Kursk region.
Russian forces have taken control of Kurakhove, a town in Ukraine's Donetsk region, the Russian Defense Ministry announced earlier today, quoted by Reuters. The capture of Kurakhove “significantly complicates logistical and technical support” for Ukrainian forces, the ministry added.
Kurakhove is located 32 km south of Pokrovsk, a key logistics hub that Russian forces have been advancing towards for months. The Ukrainian Air Force said on Monday it had shot down two Kh-59 cruise missiles launched by Russia overnight.