Four Ukrainian servicemen have been killed and seven more wounded in the area of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) in Donbas as a result of a five-hour battle, Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesman Dmytro Hutsuliak has said.

"Unfortunately, Ukraine suffered irreparable losses. Four Ukrainian servicemen were killed and seven more of our defenders sustained wounds of various degrees following a five-hour battle," the press center of the Defense Ministry quoted Hutsuliak as saying on Thursday.

This was confirmed by updated data from midnight to 13.00 on Thursday, August 23.

According to the Defense Ministry, at around 06.00 on Thursday, under the cover of artillery and mortar fire, militants approached the advanced positions of a mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the vicinity of the settlement of Krymske (Luhansk region) and made an attempt to seize observation posts along the Bakhmut route.

"To rebuff the attack, the command of the brigade used reserves and repulsed the enemy. The enemy's losses are being clarified," Hutsuliak said.

He said that during the clash, Russian occupation troops fired more than 30 122mm artillery mines, over 60 120mm mines and 60 82mm mines. The armament of infantry fighting vehicles and grenade launchers of various types were also used.

"Our defenders used IFV weapons and grenade launchers," Hutsuliak said.

According to him, from the beginning of the day as of 13.00, Ukraine recorded 12 ceasefire violations by the enemy.

From 05.25, for more than two hours, militants fired 35 120mm mines at Ukrainian units in the vicinity of Krymske.

"At the same time, 122mm artillery was fired at the defenders of Novotoshkivske (Luhansk region). The enemy made 11 shots. Later, at around 07.00, Russian invaders made another 20 shots from 122mm artillery near Novotoshkivske and fired several 120mm mines," Hutsuliak said.

In addition, he recalled that militants used grenade launchers and large-caliber machine guns to fire at the defenders of Pivnichne, Starohnativka, Vodiane, Lebedynske, Shyrokyne, Pisky, and Krasnohorivka.

"One more Ukrainian soldier was killed in this shelling," Hutsuliak said.