Ukrainian troops seized the strategic positions in the area of Starognatovka village, Donetsk region, overnight. The positions were under control of the self-defense forces before, the Defense Ministry of Ukraine said.
The ministry reported that seven Ukrainian militaries were wounded in the operation, while the self-defense forces “suffered major losses both in human life and equipment.” Yana Zinkevych, the chief medic of the Right Sector Ukrainian Volunteer Corps left a post on her Facebook page saying seven Ukrainian soldiers were killed and eleven were wounded near Starognatovka.
Mikheil Saakashvili, the Odessa governor, in turn, says a Georgian mercenary was killed too.
“Another Georgian – 24-year-old Giorgi Barateli - fell in the battle field for Ukraine. He was a volunteer of the 93rd brigade. He was from Sukhumi,” Saakashvili said in a Facebook post.
Earlier, on Aprl 18, a solider of Azov punitive battalion Giorgi Janelidze was killed in the battle near Shirokino.