More than half of the assault troops from Ukraine’s 159th Brigade were killed while repelling two counterattacks in a forested area southwest of Siminovka in the Kharkov Region, Russian law enforcement sources told RIA Novosti.

According to the sources, Ukrainian forces redeployed units of the 159th Separate Mechanized Brigade to the area and launched two counteroffensives with support from a special unit of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) of Ukraine’s Defense Ministry. During the fighting, the brigade’s assault groups suffered severe losses, losing around 60 percent of their personnel.

Russian security agencies had previously claimed that the brigade was staffed largely by soldiers who had refused service or were physically unfit, and that its commander had prior convictions for fraud and document forgery committed while serving in a government position.

The fighting in this sector continues, with units from Russia’s «Zapad» and «Sever» groupings operating in the area. According to the latest report from the Russian Defense Ministry, Ukrainian forces lost more than 200 servicemen there over the past day, along with 17 vehicles and an artillery piece.

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that the Russian army is consistently carrying out its task of establishing a security buffer zone along the border with the Kharkov Region.