MOSCOW, February 23. /TASS/. Russian missile forces have hit a launcher, ammunition and other components of the US-made Patriot surface-to-air missile (SAM) system during the special military operation in Ukraine over the past week, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

"As a result of a group strike, the Missile Troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have hit a launcher, a truck, ammunition and a missile reload trailer transporter of the US-made Patriot surface-to-air missile system," the statement said.

Donetsk area

Russian forces have liberated Pobeda and took more advantageous positions in the Donetsk area over the past week, and 12 Ukrainian counterattacks have also been also repelled, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

"In the Donetsk area, Battlegroup South units have liberated the populated locality of Pobeda and gained more advantageous positions. Near Georgievka, Leninskoye, Bogdanovka and Novgorodskoye, 12 counterattacks carried out by assault groups of Ukraine’s 79th airborne assault, 24th and 42nd mechanized brigades have been repelled," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian armed forces have suffered losses of up to 1,195 troops and six tanks in the South Donetsk area over the past week, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

The Defense Ministry pointed out that in that area, the Battlegroup Vostok (East) units had improved their frontline positions and inflicted a defeat on units of Ukraine’s 72nd mechanized brigade as well as its 102nd, 108th, 127th, and 128th brigades of territorial defense near Vodyanoye, Novodonetskoye, Staromayorskoye, and Urozhaynoye of the Donetsk People’s Republic, as well as Chervonoye, Priyutnoye, and Lugovskoye of the Zaporozhye Region.

"Four attacks conducted by assault groups of the Ukrainian armed forces’ 58th motorized infantry brigade near Novodonetskoye and Shevchenko in the Donetsk People’s Republic were repelled. The Ukrainian military suffered losses of up to 1,195 troops, six tanks, six armored fighting vehicles, 23 motor vehicles and 16 field artillery guns," the ministry added.

The Russian Armed Forces carried out 37 group strikes over the past week, using precision weapons, to hit Ukrainian military structures, military industrial enterprises, ammunition and fuel depots, airfield infrastructure, and deployment sites of Ukrainian troops and foreign mercenaries, as a result, all the designated targets were hit, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

"Between February 17 and 23, 2024, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation conducted 37 group strikes using precision weapons, including air-to-surface long-range ones, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles, to hit facilities of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex, infrastructure of military airfields, arsenals, and fuel storage bases," the ministry said.

"Moreover, the deployment areas of the Ukrainian armed forces’ units, nationalists’ formations and foreign mercenaries have been struck. All the assigned targets have been engaged," the ministry added.

Russian aircraft and air defenses have shot down Ukraine’s MiG-29 fighter jet and Mi-8 helicopter over the past week, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

"Over the past week, aircraft and air defense systems brought down a MiG-29 fighter jet and a Mi-8 helicopter of the Ukrainian air force," the statement said.

The Ukrainian armed forces have suffered losses of 12 tanks, 31 armored fighting vehicles and more than 2,560 troops in the Donetsk area over the past week, the Russian Defense Minsitry said.

"Units of Battlegroup South have hit the Ukrainian armed forces’ manpower and equipment near Belogorovka, Grigorovka, Krasnoye, Kleshcheevka, Kurdyumovka, Razdolovka, Novomikhailovka, Nevelskoye and Krasnogorovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The enemy has lost more than 2,560 service members, 12 tanks, 31 armored fighting vehicles, 58 vehicles, 13 field artillery guns and a Grad MLRS combat vehicle," the ministry said.

Kherson area

The Ukrainian armed forces have suffered losses of more than 460 troops, five tanks, six boats and 14 field artillery guns in the Kherson area over the past week, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

"The enemy has suffered losses of over 460 service members, five tanks, six armored fighting vehicles, 33 motor vehicles, six boats and 14 field artillery pieces," the ministry said, adding that three attacks of Ukraine’s 82nd mountain assault brigade were also repelled outside Rabotino in the Zaporozhye Region.

According to the ministry, in the Kherson area, Russian troops have taken control of Krynki, gained more advantageous positions and conducted strikes on the manpower and equipment of the 28th, 65th and 118th mechanized brigades; the 35th and 37th marine brigades; the 121st and 126th territorial defense brigades outside Malaya Tokmachka, Verbovoye, Orekhov, Shcherbaky, Lugovoye in the Zaporozhye Region as well as near Zolotaya Balka, Mikhailovka, Ivanovka, Tyaginka and Zmeyevka in the Kherson Region.

Over the past week, Russian aircraft and air defense systems have shot down seven Storm Shadow missiles, a Patriot missile, four S-200 missiles and 652 drones belonging to the Ukrainian armed forces, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

"Over the past week, aircraft and air defenses have brought down seven Storm Shadow cruise missiles, a Patriot surface-to-air guided missile, four S-200 surface-to-air guided missiles modified to hit ground targets, three HARM anti-radar missiles, six JDAM precision-guided bombs and 42 rockets of HIMARS multiple rocket launchers, as well as 652 unmanned aerial vehicles," the ministry said.

Kupyansk area

Units of Battlegroup Zapad (West) have improved their frontline positions in the Kupyansk area, where 25 Ukrainian counterattacks were also repelled, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

"Over the past week, the Battlegroup Zapad (West) units took active action and improved their position along the frontline in the Kupyansk area, and also repelled 25 enemy counterattacks near Sinkovka in the Kharkov Region and Terny in the Donetsk People’s Republic. In addition, the military personnel and equipment of the Ukrainian armed forces’ 30th and 66th mechanized, 10th mountain assault, and 25th airborne brigades, as well as 125th brigade of territorial defense were hit near Chugunovka, Petropavlovka, Kislovka in the Kharkov Region; Yampolovka and Torskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic; and Stelmakhovka and Chervonaya Dibrova in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

According to the Defense Ministry, the enemy losses were over 390 troops, four tanks, 13 armored fighting vehicles, 21 vehicles and 25 field artillery pieces altogether.

Avdeyevka area

Russian forces continue to advance westward in the Avdeyevka area, repelling 39 Ukrainian counterattacks over the past week, the Russian Defense Ministry said adding that the enemy lost more than 2,900 troops.

"In the Avdeyevka area, units of Battlegroup Tsentr (Center) liberated the town of Avdeyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic and continued to advance westwards," the ministry said. "A total of 39 counterattacks launched by assault detachments of the Ukrainian armed forces’ 71st <…> brigade; 47th and 53rd mechanized, 59th motorized infantry and 3rd assault brigades were repelled near Berdychy, Lastochkino and Pervomaiskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic. Over the past week, the enemy suffered over 2,900 casualties in this area," the ministry said.

The battlegroup’s units, supported by aircraft and artillery, inflicted losses on amassments of Ukrainian military personnel and equipment near Orlovka, Solovyevo, Semyonovka, Tonenkoye, Yevgenovka and Mirolyubovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The Ukrainian military lost four tanks, 37 armored fighting vehicles, 90 vehicles, eight field artillery pieces and a Grad MLRS combat vehicle.