MOSCOW, March 9. /TASS/. Russia’s armed forces have liberated Konstantinopol in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), the Russian Defense Ministry said.
"Units of Battlegroup East liberated the Konstantinopol of the Donetsk People’s Republic as a result of active and resolute actions," the ministry said.
The Russian forces hit gas refining facilities that ensured the operation of Ukraine’s military enterprises.
"Operational/tactical aircraft, combat unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops and artillery of groups of the Russian armed forces inflicted damage on gas refining facilities that ensured the operation of Ukraine’s military-industrial enterprises, infrastructure of military aerodromes, UAV production facilities and control posts, as well as troops and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s armed groups and foreign mercenaries in 143 regions," the ministry said.
Ukraine lost up to 130 troops in the responsibility area of Russia’s Battlegroups North and Dnepr.
"In the Kharkov area units of Battlegroup North inflicted damage on formations of two infantry brigades of the Ukrainian army near settlements of Kazachya Lopan and Volchansk of the Kharkov Region. The Ukrainian army lost up to 50 troops, nine cars, four pieces of artillery, and a communication hub was destroyed," the report said.
Units of Battlegroup Dnepr inflicted damage on troops and equipment of a mechanized and a mountain assault brigades of the Ukrainian army near settlements of Novonikolavka, Davydov Brod in the Kherson Region, Pyatikhatki and Pavlovka of the Zaporozhye Region. Up to 80 troops, a US-produced HMMWV armored combat vehicle, eight cars, two field branch artillery weapons, including a US-manufactured 155mm М777 howitzer, two US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS), an Israel-made Rada RPS-82 radar locator, an electronic warfare station, as well as three ammunition depots and a military technical equipment depot, were eliminated.
The Ukrainian armed forces lost more than 145 troops as a result of actions by Russia’s Battlegroup East in the past 24 hours.
The group’s units also liberated Konstantinopol in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the ministry added.
"Damage was inflicted on formations of two mechanized, one jaeger brigades, an assault regiment of the Ukrainian army and a marine brigade near settlements of Bogatyr, Fedorovka, Veseloye, Voskresenka, Dneproenergiya of the Donetsk People’s Republic. The enemy lost over 145 troops, an armored combat vehicle, a car, and three field branch artillery weapons, including a Poland-made Krab self-propelled artillery system," the report said.
The Ukrainian armed forces lost up to 250 troops and two stocks of supplies as a result of actions by Russia’s Battlegroup South in the past 24 hours.
The group’s units took more advantageous positions and inflicted damage on the enemy’s formations in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the ministry added.
"The Ukrainian army lost up to 250 troops, an armored combat vehicle, three cars, six field branch artillery weapons, and two stocks of supplies," the report said.
The Ukrainian armed forces lost up to 255 troops as a result of actions by Russia’s Battlegroup West in the past 24 hours.
"The units of Battlegroup West improved their tactical position. Damage was inflicted on troops and equipment of three mechanized and one air cavalry brigades of the Ukrainian army near settlements of Monachinovka, Zagoruykovka, Kondrashovka, Kupyansk, Podvysokoye, Gorokhovatka of the Kharkov Region, as well as the Serebryansky forestry. The enemy lost up to 255 troops, ten cars, two field branch artillery weapons produced in the West, as well as an ammunition depot," the report said.
Battlegroup Center eliminated up to 580 Ukrainian troops and four pieces of artillery in the past 24 hours.
"The enemy lost up to 580 troops, two М113 armored fighting vehicles and a US-made MaxxPro armored combat vehicle, a France-produced VAB armored fighting vehicle, four cars, and four pieces of artillery," the report said.
Russia’s air defenses also downed 228 Ukrainian drones, a JDAM bomb and two HIMARS systems.
"Air defense systems downed a guided air bomb JDAM and two US-produced HIMARS missiles, as well as 228 UAVs, including 99 outside of the special military operation’s zone," according to the report.
In all, the Russian forces have destroyed 656 Ukrainian warplanes, 283 helicopters, 45,877 unmanned aerial vehicles, 600 anti-aircraft missile systems, 22,090 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,525 multiple rocket launchers, 22,390 field artillery guns and mortars, and 32,630 special military motor vehicles since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine, the ministry added.