MOSCOW, May 9. /TASS/. All the Russian battlegroups continue strictly observing the ceasefire declared by Russia’s President Vladimir Putin on the occasion of Victory Day celebrations from the start of May 8, the Defense Ministry of Russia reported.
"Pursuant to a decision by the supreme commander-in-chief of the Russian Armed Forces, all the Russian battlegroups continue strictly observing the ceasefire in the special military operation area on the days of celebrating the 81st anniversary of the [Soviet] Victory [over Nazi Germany in the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War] from 12:00 a.m. on May 8 and staying at their lines and positions," the ministry said in a statement.
Ukraine’s military breaches Victory Day ceasefire 8,970 times - Russia’s top brass
The Ukrainian military has breached the Victory Day ceasefire 8,970 times since the start of May 8, the ministry reported.
"During the ceasefire, the Ukrainian armed formations have shelled Russian army positions 1,173 times from artillery guns, multiple launch rocket systems, mortars and tanks. They have also delivered 7,151 strikes by unmanned aerial vehicles. Ukrainian forces have attempted 12 attacks on Russian troop positions. In all, 8,970 ceasefire violations [by the Ukrainian side] have been registered in the special military operation area," the ministry said.
Ukrainian troops struck Russian army positions, civilian sites in 18 regions
Ukrainian troops continued delivering strikes on Russian army positions and civilian facilities in 18 Russian regions despite the Victory Day ceasefire, the ministry reported.
"Despite the ceasefire that was declared, Ukrainian armed formations delivered strikes by unmanned aerial vehicles and artillery on our troop positions and civilian facilities in the Republics of Crimea and Adygea, the Chechen Republic, the Perm, Stavropol, Krasnodar, Tula, Kaluga, Smolensk, Oryol, Moscow, Voronezh, Rostov, Ryazan, Lipetsk, Bryansk, Belgorod and Kursk Regions," the ministry said.
Russian troops reacted in tit-for-tat manner to Kiev’s ceasefire breaches
Russian troops reacted in a tit-for-tat manner to Kiev’s violations of the Victory Day ceasefire, delivering retaliatory strikes, the ministry reported.
"In these conditions, the Russian Armed Forces reacted in a tit-for-tat manner to the truce violations, delivering retaliatory strikes on the firing positions of multiple launch rocket systems, artillery and mortars. They struck UAV control posts and launch sites," the ministry said.
Kiev loses 940 troops in botched attacks on Russian army positions over past 24 hours
The Ukrainian military lost roughly 940 troops in botched attacks on Russian army positions during the Victory Day truce over the past 24 hours, the ministry reported.
Specifically, the latest figures show that the Ukrainian army lost over 100 troops in the responsibility area of Russia’s Battlegroup North, roughly 60 troops in the responsibility area of the Battlegroup West, more than 160 troops in the responsibility area of the Battlegroup South, about 320 troops in the responsibility area of the Battlegroup Center, over 265 troops in the responsibility area of the Battlegroup East and around 35 troops in the responsibility area of the Battlegroup Dnepr.
Russian air defenses intercept 467 Ukrainian UAVs, eight smart bombs in past 24 hours
Russian air defense forces intercepted and destroyed 467 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and eight smart bombs over the past 24 hours, the ministry reported.
"During the last 24-hour period, air defense capabilities shot down eight guided aerial bombs, a rocket of the US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system and 467 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles," the ministry said.
Russia’s Black Sea Fleet destroys two Ukrainian naval drones over past 24 hours
Russia’s Black Sea Fleet destroyed two Ukrainian naval drones in Black Sea waters over the past 24 hours, the ministry reported.
"The Black Sea Fleet’s forces destroyed two uncrewed boats of the Ukrainian army in the northwestern part of the Black Sea," the ministry said.
Overall, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 671 Ukrainian combat aircraft, 284 helicopters, 144,746 unmanned aerial vehicles, 659 surface-to-air missile systems, 29,236 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,717 multiple rocket launchers, 34,844 field artillery guns and mortars and 61,180 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation, the ministry reported.