MOSCOW, February 20. /TASS/. Russian forces liberated the community of Paraskoviyevka in their advance in the Donetsk People’s Republic over the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Monday.
"In the Donetsk direction, volunteers of assault teams in interaction with Airborne Force units and with the fire support of missile troops and artillery of the southern battlegroup fully liberated the settlement of Paraskoviyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic as a result of their successful offensive operations," the spokesman said.
In the past 24 hours, the enemy lost over 115 personnel, an infantry fighting vehicle, three armored combat vehicles, two motor vehicles, two Grad multiple rocket launchers, a D-30 howitzer, a Rapira anti-tank gun, and also a US-made AN/TPQ-36 counter-battery radar in that area, the general specified.
Russian forces eliminated roughly 50 Ukrainian troops in the Kupyansk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Kupyansk direction, artillery fire and active operations of units from the western battlegroup inflicted damage on the enemy manpower and equipment in areas near the settlements of Novosyolovskoye in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Masyutovka and Krakhmalnoye in the Kharkov Region. As many as 50 Ukrainian personnel were eliminated in that area in the past 24 hours," the spokesman said.
Russian forces also destroyed one tank and three motor vehicles of the Ukrainian army in that area in the past day, the general added.
Russian forces inflicted damage on Ukrainian manpower and equipment in the Krasny Liman area, eliminating roughly 100 enemy troops over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Krasny Liman direction, as many as 100 Ukrainian troops, two armored combat vehicles, two D-30 howitzers, and also a US-made AN/TPQ-37 counter-battery radar were destroyed as a result of air strikes, artillery and heavy flamethrower fire by the battlegroup Center in areas near the settlements of Yampolovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Stelmakhovka and Chervonaya Dibrova in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.
The Ukrainian military lost some 60 personnel in the southern Donetsk and Zaporozhye areas as a result of damage inflicted by Russian forces over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the southern Donetsk and Zaporozhye areas, operational-tactical aircraft and artillery of the battlegroup East inflicted damage by combined firepower on the Ukrainian army units in areas near the settlements of Ugledar and Dobrovolye in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Gulyaipole and Yurkovka in the Zaporozhye Region. The enemy’s losses totaled as many as 60 personnel, one tank, two armored combat vehicles, a D-20 howitzer and two D-30 howitzers," the spokesman said.
In addition, Russian forces obliterated three Ukrainian ammunition depots near the communities of Malinovka in the Zaporozhye Region, Ugledar and Vodyanoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the general added.
Russian forces destroyed five Ukrainian howitzers and a towed field gun in the Kherson area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Kherson direction, an Akatsiaya self-propelled howitzer, a Giatsint towed cannon, a Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer and three D-30 howitzers were destroyed as a result of damage inflicted by firepower in the past 24 hours," the spokesman said.
Russian combat aircraft shot down a Ukrainian Su-27 fighter near Izyum in the Kharkov Region over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"Fighter aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces shot down a Ukrainian Air Force Su-27 plane in an aerial battle near the city of Izyum in the Kharkov Region," the spokesman said.
Russian forces struck over 90 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the past 24 hours, army aviation, missile troops and artillery of the Russian group of forces struck 98 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions, manpower and military equipment in 124 areas," the spokesman said.
Russian air defense forces destroyed 15 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the past 24 hours, air defense capabilities intercepted one rocket of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system and also destroyed 15 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles in areas near the settlements of Vladimirovka, Kolomiychikha, Zmiyevka, Rubezhnoye, Ploshchanka, Krasnorechenskoye and Kremennaya in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Yegorovka, Novoandreyevka, Volnovakha and Yelenovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.
In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 386 Ukrainian combat aircraft, 210 helicopters, 3,193 unmanned aerial vehicles, 405 surface-to-air missile systems, 7,945 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,031 multiple rocket launchers, 4,157 field artillery guns and mortars and 8,465 special military motor vehicles since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine, the general specified.