MOSCOW, February 16. /TASS/. Russian forces hit Ukrainian military airfields, a drone assembly workshop and an energy facility over the past day, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
"Tactical aviation, attack drones, rocket forces and artillery of Russian battlegroups struck the infrastructure of military airfields, a drone assembly workshop, an energy facility that supplies Ukrainian defense enterprises, as well as clusters of enemy manpower and equipment in 141 areas," it said.
Russian air defenses shot down two HIMARS projectiles and 50 fixed-wing drones over the past day, the ministry added.
"Air defense capabilities shot down two rockets, fired with a US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system, and 50 unmanned fixed-wing drones," it said.
North and Dnepr battlegroups
Ukrainian forces lost up to 50 servicemen and an equipment deport from operations by the battlegroups North and Dnepr over the past day, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
"In the Kharkov area, units of the battlegroup North struck manpower and equipment of a Ukrainian airborne assault brigade and a National Guard brigade near the settlement of Volchansk in the Kharkov Region. Ukrainian forces lost up to 30 servicemen, an armored personnel carrier, two motor vehicles and an artillery gun," it said in a statement.
According to the statement, units of the battlegroup Dnept struck formations of three brigades of the Ukrainian coastal defense a territorial defense brigade in the areas of the settlements of Kamenskoye in Zaporozhzhye Region; Dniprovskoye, Ponyatovka, Verovka and Kachkarovka in the Kherson Region. Ukrainian forces lost up to 20 servicemen and 5 motor vehicles. Also destroyed was an equipment depot.
Battlegroup West
Ukraine lost more than 165 servicemen in the area of responsibility of the battlegroup West over the past day, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
"Ukraine’s losses totaled more than 165 servicemen, 4 armored fighting vehicles, 6 motor vehicles and 3 field artillery guns, including two of foreign-made units," it said in a statement.
According to the statement, over the past day, units of the battlegroup West improved their tactical positions and struck the manpower and equipment of six Ukrainian mechanized brigades, a tank brigade, an assault brigade, am air assault brigade, a mountain assault brigade and two territorial defense brigades in the areas of the settlements of Zagoruykovka, Boguslavka, Figolevka, Petropavlovka, Kutkovka, Kupyansk, Monachynovka and Kolodeznoye in the Kharkov Region; and Drobyshevo and Yampolovka in the Donetsk People's Republic.
Battlegroup South
Units of the battlegroup South improved their forward positions, as Ukrainian forces lost more than 180 servicemen over the past day, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
"Units of the battlegroup South improved their forward positions and struck formations of two Ukrainian mechanized brigades, one infantry brigade, one airmobile brigade, a Marines brigade and a territorial defense brigade in the areas of the settlements of Serebryanka, Pereyezdnoye, Dolgaya Balka, Kleban-Byk, Konstantinovka, Chasov Yar and Ulakly in the Donetsk People's Republic and Belogorovka in the Lugansk People's Republic. The enemy’s losses amounted to more than 180 servicemen," it said.
Ukrainian forces also lost four pickup trucks and an electronic warfare station. Two ammunition and materiel depots were destroyed.
Battlegroup East
Ukraine lost more than 155 servicemen in the zone of responsibility of the battlegroup East over the past day, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
According to the statement, units of the battlegroup continued advancing deeper into the enemy's defense and struck manpower and equipment of four Ukrainian mechanized brigades, an air assault brigades, a Marines brigade and two territorial defense brigades in the areas of the settlements of Razliv, Burlatskoye, Komar, Novosyolka, and Konstantinopol in the Donetsk People's Republic; and Gulyaypole in the Zaporozhzhye Region.
"The enemy lost more than 155 servicemen, a tank, an armored fighting vehicle, a motor vehicle and five field artillery guns," the statement said.
Battlegroup Center
Fighters of the battlegroup Center improved their forward positions, as Ukraine lost up to 475 servicemen in the battlegroup’s zone of its responsibility, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
"Units of the battlegroup Center improved their forward positions and struck manpower and equipment of three Ukrainian mechanized brigades, one airmobile brigade, one air assault brigade, two jaeger brigades, one assault brigade, an assault regiment and a National Guard brigade in the areas of the settlements of Kotlino, Krasnoarmeysk, Peschanoye, Andreyevka, Uspenovka, Ulyanovka, Zverevo, Udachnoye and Novoalexandrovka in the Donetsk People's Republic. The enemy lost up to 475 servicemen," it said.
Ukraine also lost a US-made M113 armored personnel carrier, a UK-made Mastiff armored vehicle, eight motor vehicles and four field artillery guns.