The Defense Ministry reported the capture of 18 AFU fighters near Kurakhovo in the DNR

The Russian army has captured 18 servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) west of the village of Kurakhovo in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR). This was reported by the Russian Defense Ministry on January 8.

"The losses of the AFU amounted to more than 280 servicemen, 18 servicemen of the 46th AFU airmobile brigade were taken prisoner west of the settlement of Kurakhovo in the Donetsk People's Republic," the ministry said.

In addition, the Russian army in this direction repelled three counterattacks of the enemy's assault brigades, destroyed a tank, an infantry fighting vehicle, an M113 armored personnel carrier, seven pickup trucks, two artillery pieces and an ammunition depot.

Also, units of the Southern Group of Forces took more favorable lines and positions. They defeated the formations of two mechanized, airmobile brigades of the AFU in the areas of Seversk, Belogorovka, Chasov Yar, Vasyukovka and Yantarnoye of the DNR.

At the same time, units of the Center group improved their position along the front line and defeated the manpower and equipment of five AFU brigades in the areas of 14 localities of the DNR. As a result of the Russian army's actions, the enemy lost over 530 servicemen, two armored combat vehicles, three vehicles and two towed guns.

On the same day, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that tankers of the Southern Group of Forces, in cooperation with a reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV),hit a camouflaged gun of the AFU in the Chasovoyarsk direction.

The special operation to protect Donbass, the start of which Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on February 24, 2022, continues. The decision was made against the background of the aggravated situation in the region.

More topical video and details about the situation in Donbass see on Izvestia TV channel.