“As a result of the active offensive operations of the Russian troops and the people’s militias of the DPR and LPR in the areas of the settlements of Soledar, Artemovsk and Avdeevka of the Donetsk People’s Republic, units of the 54th mechanized, 56th and 58th motorized infantry brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, having lost their combat capability due to heavy losses , left their positions, ”the ministry said in a statement.
Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry said that due to heavy losses in two brigades of Ukrainian troops, in the Kharkov and Zaporozhye directions, there is a massive abandonment of combat positions and desertion of personnel.
On July 17, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that a company of the Ukrainian territorial defense left its positions in the DPR in full force.