MOSCOW, June 16. /TASS/. More than 10,000 Russian servicemen have been paid monetary awards for personally eliminating or capturing enemy military equipment since the launch of the special military operation, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on Friday.

"Since the special military operation was launched, more than 10,000 servicemen of Russia’s Armed Forces have received special [award] payments for personally destroying or capturing enemy military equipment," the ministry said.

In 2022, 7,064 Russian servicemen were awarded payments for wiping out 11,586 pieces of Ukrainian military equipment and weaponry.

According to the ministry, this year to date, payments to military pilots and air defense operators for downing 45 Ukrainian helicopters and 71 aircraft have amounted to 300,000 rubles ($3,577) for each hit. The same amount was paid in each case for the elimination of 15 Tochka-U missile systems or US-supplied HIMARS multiple rocket launch systems (MRLS).

Personnel of Russia’s Ground and Airborne Forces, as well as Naval Infantry units, including artillery crews, received 100,000 rubles ($1,193) each for the destruction of Ukrainian tanks.

Smaller payments, of 50,000 rubles ($596), were awarded in each case for wiping out 1,501 armored combat vehicles, 203 self-propelled gun mounts, and 85 MRLS. Similar sums were paid in each case to all members of the Russian Army who intercepted one of the 941 Tochka-U, Olkha, Smerch, Uragan or HIMARS projectiles, or destroyed one of the 1,211 downed Ukrainian drones, the Defense Ministry clarified.

Additionally, active-duty members of the Russian Navy, who repelled attacks by six unmanned Ukrainian speedboats against Russian warships and civil infrastructure in Crimea, received 200,000 rubles ($2,386) each.

Based on reports by unit commanders in the Zaporozhye and South Donetsk areas, cash award payments are currently being appropriated for the Russian military personnel who destroyed Leopard tanks or armored combat vehicles made in the United States or one of its NATO allies, the Defense Ministry added.