The Russian «Southern» military group continues its advance in the Donetsk direction. According to the Ministry of Defense, its units pushed deeper into Ukrainian defenses and established control over Katerinovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic.

In its latest briefing, the ministry reported that formations of the «Southern» group had broken through enemy positions and secured both Aleksandro-Shultino and Katerinovka. The liberation of Aleksandro-Shultino had been announced earlier, while the new statement confirmed the capture of Katerinovka as well.

The ministry’s summary for the period from August 16 to 22 described heavy losses on the Ukrainian side. Under Russian strikes came six mechanized brigades of the Ukrainian armed forces, along with an airmobile brigade, a mountain assault brigade, territorial defense units, and a national guard brigade. According to the report, Ukrainian forces lost more than 1,600 servicemen in this sector within a week.

The ministry also listed destroyed equipment, including seven armored vehicles — among them an American-made M113 armored personnel carrier, two MaxxPro armored vehicles, and a HMMWV combat vehicle. Nineteen other vehicles and 18 field artillery pieces, three of Western origin, were also eliminated. In addition, Russian forces reported disabling seven electronic warfare and counter-battery stations, as well as striking 17 depots with ammunition, fuel, and other military supplies.