Ukrainian troop casualties reach 3,725 in week-long DPR conflict
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Yug forces continued their advance into enemy territory, defeating both manpower and equipment in the DPR and repelling nine counterattacks by Ukrainian troops.
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The Russian Armed Forces have captured the settlement of Netailove in the Donetsk region. (@PoliticsWWWeb)
On Friday, Russia's Defense Ministry declared a victory for the South Group of Forces, Yug, over Ukrainian troops in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), with Ukraine sustaining an estimated loss of 3,725 soldiers in the region during the previous week.
According to the ministry's statement, Yug forces continued their advance into enemy territory, defeating both manpower and equipment in the DPR and repelling nine counterattacks by Ukrainian troops.
"The units of the Yug Group of Forces continued to advance into the enemy territory during active combat operations, defeated manpower and equipment ... in the Donetsk People's Republic ... repelled nine counterattack [by Ukrainian troops]," the ministry said in a statement, adding that the losses of Ukrainian armed forces "lost up to 3,725 servicepeople over the past week."
Des LRM #Grad du groupement Sud russe ont frappé un point d’appui ukrainien à 12 km de distance
— Sputnik Afrique (@sputnik_afrique) May 17, 2024
Selon la Défense russe, les lance-roquettes multiples ont aussi visé une concentration d’effectifs ukrainiens avec des projectiles à fragmentation de 122 mm.
📍 Axe de Donetsk pic.twitter.com/mevWvoiAJL
Read more: Ukraine lost 510 soldiers in Donetsk battles: Russian MoD
In other significant developments, Russia's central forces fortified their position, resulting in Kiev's loss of approximately 2,475 soldiers and four tanks, including Abrams.
The eastern group of forces successfully repelled two counterattacks, leading to Ukraine's loss of around 965 soldiers.
Moreover, in the northern region, Russia thwarted 21 counterattacks in the Kharkiv area, resulting in the loss of up to 1,175 Ukrainian soldiers.
Meanwhile, the western grouping repelled 37 counterattacks in the Luhansk People's Republic and Kharkiv region, leading to Kiev's loss of up to 960 soldiers.
In a separate statement, the Ministry reported that Russian armed forces conducted 28 group strikes using precision-guided weapons and drones during the past week in Ukraine.
These strikes targeted command posts, military airfield infrastructure, air defense facilities, arsenals, fuel bases of the Ukrainian armed forces, as well as production workshops and storage sites for unmanned boats and attack drones.
Moreover, the Russian Black Sea fleet destroyed 25 Ukrainian unmanned vessels.
Read more: Russian air defenses down 100+ Ukrainian drones overnight
Russian advancements in the Kharkiv region have been significant in recent days. Last week, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that its North battlegroup had gained control over several villages in the area.
Vitaly Ganchev, head of Russia-controlled territories in the Kharkiv region, confirmed on Thursday that Russian troops were now in control of key parts of the border city of Vovchansk.
In light of these developments, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged the "extremely difficult" situation faced by Ukrainian forces in the Kharkiv region. Ukraine has been compelled to send reinforcements to the area as Russia's presence grows.
