MOSCOW, February 17. /TASS/. Over the past 24 hours, units of the Vostok group of troops improved the tactical situation in the south Donetsk direction, while the Ukrainian Armed Forces lost over 170 military personnel, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported.

"Units of the Vostok group of forces improved the tactical position in the south Donetsk direction and inflicted fire damage on units of the 72nd mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the 128th territorial defense brigade in the areas of the settlements of Vodyanoye and Nikolskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

At the same time, over the course of a day, the Russian military improved the situation along the front line of the Donetsk direction and defeated five brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Lugansk and Donetsk People's Republics, ax well as more advantageous lines and positions in the Krasny Liman direction.

The total losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces over the day in the Donetsk direction reached around 360 military personnel, the enemy carried out four unsuccessful attacks, which were repelled, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported.

"Four attacks by assault groups of the 79th Airborne Assault and 24th Mechanized Brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were repelled in the areas of the settlements of Georgievka, Leninskoye, and Novgorodskoye of the Donetsk People’s Republic. The enemy lost up to 360 military personnel, four armored combat vehicles, 12 vehicles, as well as a combat vehicle MLRS Grad," the ministry reported.

Air Force and air defenses

Operational-tactical and army aviation, as well as artillery and missile forces of the Russian Armed Forces, hit aircraft at airfields of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, warehouses of aviation weapons, as well as temporary deployment points of foreign mercenaries and special operations forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces over the past 24 hours, the ministry said. "Aviation equipment at airfields, warehouses of aviation weapons, temporary deployment points for foreign mercenaries and special operations forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were hit," the ministry said.

The Ministry of Defense added that artillery, aviation and missile forces defeated the personnel and equipment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in 110 regions.

Over the past 24 hours, the Russian Armed Forces have shot down 7 HIMARS shells, 3 HARM missiles, 3 JDAM guided bombs, 3 converted S-200 missiles, and 47 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) of the Ukrainian Armed Forces with air defense, the ministry reported.

"Over the day, air defense systems intercepted 7 HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems, 3 HARM anti-radar missiles, 3 JDAM guided aerial bombs, and 3 S-200 anti-aircraft guided missiles converted to hit ground targets. In addition, 47 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were destroyed," the ministry said.

Kupyansk area

The Russian military defeated the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of Sinkovka and Terny of the Kharkov region and improved the situation along the front line. The losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces amounted to up to 90 military personnel.

"In the Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad group of troops through active actions improved the situation along the front line, defeated the manpower and equipment of the 41st and 60th mechanized brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of the settlements of Sinkovka in the Kharkov region and Terny in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine amounted to up to 90 military personnel, a tank, two infantry fighting vehicles, two armored personnel carriers, and three pickup trucks," the ministry said.