Air defenses down 103 Ukrainian drones, 12 ATACMS missiles, 4 Hammer bombs over day
Russian forces also hit concentrations of Ukrainian manpower and equipment in 112 areas over the past 24 hours
MOSCOW, May 19. /TASS/. Russian air defenses downed 104 Ukrainian drones, as well as 12 ATACMS missiles and four Hammer bombs over the past 24 hours, the Defense Ministry reported.
"The air defenses shot down 103 drones, including 62 fixed-wing drones destroyed over the territory of Russia at night, one Tochka-U tactical missile, 12 ATACMS operational-tactical missiles produced by the United States, four French-made Hammer guided aerial bombs, two US-made HARM anti-radar missiles, as well as nine US-made HIMARS rockets," the military said.
Russian forces also hit concentrations of Ukrainian manpower and equipment in 112 areas over the past 24 hours.
TASS has summarized the main successes of the Russian armed forces in the special military operation zone.
Battlegroup North
Russia’s battlegroup North continues advancing deep into the Ukrainian defenses in the Kharkov Region, defeating the forces of the Foreign Legion and three Ukrainian brigades, the Defense Ministry said.
"The northern battlegroup continues to advance deep into the enemy's defenses. It defeated the manpower and equipment of the Foreign Legion, the Ukrainian 24th, 42nd mechanized brigades, the 125th territorial defense brigade near Lukyantsy, Veseloye, Radgospnoye in the Kharkov Region. The battlegroup also repelled five enemy counterattacks near Volchansk, Liptsy and Tikhoye in Kharkov Region," the ministry said, adding that the Ukrainian military lost up to 230 servicemen, a tank, two armored fighting vehicles, 10 pickup trucks, a 122 mm Gvozdika howitzer, as well as a Grad MLRS.
Battlegroup West
Russia’s battlegroup West has taken more favorable positions and destroyed up to 440 Ukrainian servicemen and eight units of equipment, the military said.
"The western battlegroup occupied more favorable positions and defeated the 63rd Ukrainian mechanized brigade near Torskoye in the Donetsk People's Republic. The Ukrainian forces lost up to 440 servicemen, two vehicles, three US-made 155 mm M777 howitzers, a 152 mm Msta-B howitzer and two 122 mm Gvozdika howitzers," the ministry pointed out.
Battlegroup East
The Ukrainian armed forces lost up to 105 servicemen and a Marder infantry fighting vehicle in the zone of responsibility of Russia’s battlegroup East, the ministry emphasized.
"The battlegroup repelled two counterattacks by assault groups of the 123rd Ukrainian territorial defense brigade and the 21st National Guardd brigade near Urozhaynoye and Staromayorskoye in the Donetsk People's Republic. The Ukrainian forces lost up to 105 servicemen, two infantry fighting vehicles, three vehicles, a UK-made 155 mm FH-70 howitzer, as well as a 122 mm Gvozdika howitzer," the Russian military said, adding that the battlegroup also occupied more favorable positions, as well as defeated the manpower and equipment of the 128th territorial defense brigade near Velikaya Novoselka and Makarovka in the Donetsk People's Republic.
Battlegroup South
Russia’s battlegroup South has improved its positions along the front line and repelled a Ukrainian attack near Novomikhailovka, the ministry reported.
"The southern battlegroup improved its frontline positions, defeating the manpower and equipment of the 79th Ukrainian airborne assault, 93rd mechanized, and 81staAirmobile brigades near Antonovka and Belogorovka in the Donetsk People's Republic. In addition, a Ukrainian attack was repelled near Novomikhailovka in the Donetsk People's Republic. The enemy lost more than 680 servicemen, two tanks, two infantry fighting vehicles and 10 vehicles," the ministry said, adding that the Russian forces also destroyed Ukrainian equipment and two warehouses with enemy ammunition.
Battlegroup Center
Russia’s battlegroup Center has improved its tactical positions and repelled seven Ukrainian counterattacks, wiping out up to 345 servicemen, the Defense Ministry said.
"The central battlegroup improved the tactical positions and defeated the 71st Ukrainian infantry, 47th, 100th mechanized brigades near Yevgenovka, Novoalexandrovka, Rozovka and Novgorodskoye of the Donetsk People's Republic. The battlegroup also repelled seven counterattacks of the 59th motorized infantry, 24th, 47th mechanized, 142nd, 143rd infantry brigades near Shumy, Netailovo, Novokalinovo, Umanskoye and Solovyevo of the Donetsk People's Republic," the military said, adding that the Ukrainian forces lost up to 345 servicemen, two armored combat vehicles, two cars, as well as a 152 mm Msta-B howitzer.
Battlegroup Dnepr
The Ukrainian armed forces lost up to 60 servicemen in the zone of responsibility of Russia’s battlegroup Dnepr, the Defense Ministry pointed out.
"The Dnepr battlegroup struck manpower and equipment of the 37th Ukrainian marine brigade and the 65th mechanized brigade near Veseloye in the Kherson Region and Rabotino in the Zaporozhye Region. The Ukrainian forces lost up to 60 servicemen, five vehicles, a US-made 155 mm M777, a D-20 152 mm howitzer, as well as a D-30 122-mm howitzer," the military said.