MOSCOW, March 22. /TASS/. Russian troops liberated the community of Potapovka in the Sumy Region over the past 24 hours in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported.

"Battlegroup North units took control of the settlement of Potapovka in the Sumy Region through decisive operations," the ministry said in a statement.

Russian troops pound Ukrainian army’s fuel and energy infrastructure over past day

Russian troops struck fuel and energy infrastructure used to support the Ukrainian army’s operations and enemy deployment areas over the past 24 hours, the ministry reported.

"Operational/tactical aircraft, attack unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groups of forces struck fuel and energy infrastructure facilities used to support the Ukrainian army’s operations, sites for the preparation and launch of long-range unmanned aerial vehicles, and also temporary deployment areas of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries in 144 locations," the ministry said.

Russian troops strike Ukrainian army’s Azov special operations brigade

Russian troops struck manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s Azov special operations brigade over the past 24 hours, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup Center units improved their forward positions and inflicted losses on manpower and equipment of five mechanized brigades, an airmobile brigade, an airborne brigade, an assault regiment of the Ukrainian army, a marine infantry brigade, the Azov special operations brigade [outlawed as a terrorist group in Russia] and six National Guard brigades in areas near the settlements of Belitskoye, Vasilevka, Vodyanskoye, Dobropolye, Lenina, Priyut, Toretskoye and Torskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Ivanovka and Novopodgorodnoye in the Dnepropetrovsk Region," the ministry said.

Kiev loses 1,215 troops along engagement line in past day - latest figures

The Ukrainian army lost roughly 1,215 troops in battles with Russian forces in all the frontline areas over the past 24 hours, according to the latest data on the special military operation in Ukraine released by Russia’s Defense Ministry.

The latest figures show that the Ukrainian army lost roughly 200 troops in the responsibility area of Russia’s Battlegroup North, about 190 troops in the responsibility area of the Battlegroup West and over 120 troops in the responsibility area of the Battlegroup South.

During the last 24-hour period, the Ukrainian army also lost over 360 troops in the responsibility area of Russia’s Battlegroup Center, more than 300 troops in the responsibility area of the Battlegroup East and roughly 45 troops in the responsibility area of the Battlegroup Dnepr, the latest figures show.

Russian air defenses intercept 244 Ukrainian UAVs, eight smart bombs over past day

Russian air defense forces intercepted and destroyed 244 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and eight smart bombs over the past 24 hours, the ministry reported.

"Air defense capabilities shot down eight guided aerial bombs and 244 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles," the ministry said in a statement.

Overall, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 671 Ukrainian combat aircraft, 284 helicopters, 126,137 unmanned aerial vehicles, 652 surface-to-air missile systems, 28,423 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,690 multiple rocket launchers, 33,999 field artillery guns and mortars and 57,480 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation, the ministry reported.