MOSCOW, March 3. /TASS/. Russian forces destroyed in the south Donetsk area over the past day some 250 Ukrainian troops, an Akatsiya motorized artillery system, a D-20 howitzer, two Gvozdika motorized artillery systems and a Grad multiple rocket launcher in the special military operation in Ukraine, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on Sunday.

"In the south Donetsk direction, units of the Battlegroup East improved their forward edge positions and also inflicted damage on the manpower and military hardware of the Ukrainian army’s 72nd mechanized and 128th territorial defense brigades near the settlements of Dobropolye in the Zaporozhye Region, Ugledar and Vodyanoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic [DPR]," the ministry said in a statement.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in the south Donetsk direction over the past day totaled as many as over 250 personnel, three motor vehicles, an Akatsiya motorized artillery system, a D-20 howitzer, two Gvozdika motorized artillery systems and a Grad multiple rocket launcher, the ministry specified.

Aerial vehicles

Russian air defense forces shot down 143 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, including Bayraktar TB2 drones, over the past day in the special military operation.

"During the last 24-hour period, air defense capabilities shot down two rockets of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system, as well as 143 UAVs, including Bayraktar TB2 drones," the ministry specified.

 More than 14,000 Ukrainian drones have been destroyed by Russian forces since the beginning of the special military operation.

"Since the beginning of the special military operation, as many as 575 planes, 267 helicopters, 14,112 unmanned aerial vehicles, 476 air defense systems, 15,335 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,228 multiple rocket launch systems, 8,275 artillery systems and mortars, and 19,298 special combat motor vehicles have been destroyed," the Russian defense ministry said.

Kupyansk area

Russian forces repelled five Ukrainian army attacks in the Kupyansk area, destroying roughly 35 enemy troops and numerous enemy’s military hardware items over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Sunday.

"In the Kupyansk direction, [Russian forces] repulsed five attacks by the 57th motorized infantry and 32nd mechanized brigades near the settlement of Sinkovka in the Kharkov region," the ministry’s statement reads.

"The enemy’s losses totaled up to 35 personnel, two motor vehicles, two US-produced M777 artillery systems and one American-made M198 howitzer as well as a D-20 howitzer," the ministry specified.

Donetsk area

Russian forces repulsed three Ukrainian army counterattacks and improved their frontline positions in the Donetsk area, destroying roughly 240 enemy troops, six combat vehicles and one field arms depot over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine.

"In the Donetsk direction, units of the Southern Battlegroup improved their forward edge positions and inflicted damage on massed manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 22nd, 28th and 56th mechanized and 5th and 92nd assault brigades near the settlements of Krasnoye, Bogdanovka, Kurdyumovka and Andreyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic [DPR]," the ministry stated.

"Three enemy’s attacks were repelled near the settlements of Kleshcheyevka and Pobeda in the Donetsk People’s Republic," according to the statement.

The Ukrainian army lost as many as 240 personnel, two infantry fighting vehicles, three motor vehicles and a US-made M777 artillery system in the Donetsk area over the past 24 hours, the ministry specified.