MOSCOW, July 16./TASS/. Russian air defenses have intercepted three HIMARS rockets, two S-200 missiles and downed 13 Ukrainian drones in the past 24 hours, Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov told a briefing on Sunday.
"Air defense systems intercepted three HIMARS MRLS rockets and two S-200 surface-to-air missiles reequipped into attack weapons to hit ground targets in the past 24 hours," he said.
In addition, according to Konashenkov, 13 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were destroyed near the settlements of Pilipovka in the Lugansk People's Republic, Tripolye in the Donetsk People's Republic, Pologi, Chapayevka, Azov, Tokmak and Lyubimovka in the Zaporozhye Region, as well as Novaya Kakhovka in the Kherson Region.
Russian troops have destroyed up to 50 Ukrainian military and three US-made M777 artillery systems in the Kherson area overnight, the spokesman said. "Up to 50 Ukrainian servicemen, four vehicles, three US-made M777 artillery systems and an Akatsiya motorized artillery system were destroyed in the Kherson area overnight," he said.
In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 455 Ukrainian warplanes, 242 combat helicopters, 5,028 unmanned aerial vehicles, 426 surface-to-air missile systems, 10,721 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,138 multiple rocket launchers, 5,471 field artillery guns and mortars and 11,698 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation in Ukraine, Konashenkov reported.