MOSCOW, March 27. /TASS/. Since the start of the special operation, Russian armed forces have disabled 289 drones, destroyed 1,656 tanks and 169 multiple rocket launchers, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov said on Sunday.

"A total of 289 drones, 1,656 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 169 multiple rocket launchers, 684 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 1,503 special military vehicles have been destroyed since the start of the special military operation," Konashenkov noted.

According to him, during the night Russia’s air defense systems have destroyed 18 Ukrainian drones in the air above the settlements of Novaya Basan, Pesky, Boryspol, Shchors, Vyshnov, Kryukovka, Petrovsky.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a televised address on February 24 that in response to a request by the leaders of the Donbass republics he had made a decision to carry out a special military operation. The Russian head of state stressed that Moscow had no plans of occupying Ukrainian territories.