MOSCOW, March 7. /TASS/. The Russian troops have wiped out 2,396 Ukrainian military facilities since the beginning of their special operation in Ukraine, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov said on Monday.

"Over the period of the special operation, 2,396 Ukrainian military infrastructure facilities have been destroyed, including 82 command and communications centers, 119 S-300, Buk-M1 and Osa air defense systems and also 76 radar stations," the spokesman said.

The Russian armed forces also destroyed 827 Ukrainian tanks and other combat armored vehicles, 84 multiple rocket launchers, 304 field artillery guns and mortars, 603 special military vehicles and also 78 drones, the general said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on February 24 that in response to a request by the heads of the Donbass republics he had made a decision to carry out a special military operation in Ukraine in order to protect people "who have been suffering from abuse and genocide by the Kiev regime for eight years." The Russian leader stressed that Moscow had no plans of occupying Ukrainian territories and the operation was aimed at demilitarizing and denazifying Ukraine.

When clarifying the developments unfolding, the Russian Defense Ministry reassured that Russian troops are not targeting Ukrainian cities, but are limited to surgically striking and incapacitating Ukrainian military infrastructure. There are no threats whatsoever to the civilian population.