Ukraine's 79th Tavrian Air Assault Brigade said on Sept. 22 it had repelled a "massive" Russian assault in the Kurakhove sector in Donetsk Oblast.
Russia is carrying out intense attacks in multiple sections of the eastern front, with attempts to break through Ukraine's defenses in Donetsk Oblast toward the towns of Pokrovsk and Kurakhove.
Ukrainian troops fended off 28 attacks in the Kurakhove sector over the past day alone, Ukraine's General Staff said in its latest update on Sept. 23.
Russian forces tried to break through lines near the village of Kostiantynivka, the 79th brigade said, sharing footage showing the assault.
The attack reportedly involved 20 pieces of equipment, including 14 armored vehicles with infantry and six tanks.
The brigade said it spotted the Russian convoy in advance, and used artillery, drones, and anti-tank missiles to repel the assault.
According to the statement, Ukraine's paratroopers damaged one Russian tank, destroyed two others as well as two Russian armored vehicles carrying troops.
"Another vehicle managed to make a shameful escape," the brigade said, adding: "Our strike drone operators arranged a spectacular safari for dismounted Russian infantry."
The Kyiv Independent could not verify these reports.
Kateryna Denisova
The Ukrainian military said that as of Sept. 12 Russian troops were pushing toward Kurakhove from three directions, but their advance has slowed down.
While there are signs of stabilization near Pokrovsk, the focal point of the Russian offensive in Donetsk Oblast, Moscow's troops have recently ramped up their offensive near Vuhledar, the mining town that lies around 50 kilometers (30 miles) southwest of occupied Donetsk and around 40 kilometers (25 miles) east of the administrative border with Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
Francis Farrell
(Updated: )
