(Reuters) - Ukrainian forces successfully prevented an attempted Russian river crossing in the Donbas, the British defence ministry said in a regular Twitter bulletin on Friday.

       Images suggest that Russia has lost armoured manoeuvre elements of at least one battalion tactical group and the deployed pontoon bridging equipment while crossing the Siverskyi Donets river west of Severodonetsk, Britain said in its intelligence update.

       Reuters could not immediately verify the report.

       (Reporting by Tanvi Mehta in Bengaluru; Editing by Christopher Cushing)