MOSCOW, March 19. /TASS/. Russia’s armed forces struck 92 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions in 114 areas over the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Sunday.
"Russian operational/tactical and army aviation aircraft, missile troops and artillery struck 92 artillery units at firing positions, manpower and military hardware in 114 areas over the past day," he said.
Battles in Kupyansk direction
The western group of the Russian forces struck Ukrainian manpower and equipment in the Kupyansk area, eliminating up to 50 troops over the past day, Konashenkov said.
"In the Kupyansk direction, aircraft and artillery of the western battlegroup struck the Ukrainian army units in areas near the settlements of Dvurechnaya, Timkovka, Olshana in the Kharkov Region and Novoselovskoye in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.
The strikes eliminated the enemy manpower and military hardware, the general noted. "Up to 50 Ukrainian personnel, two armored vehicles and two cars were destroyed," Konashenkov reported.
Russian combat aircraft shot down a Ukrainian Air Force Mi-8 fighter jet near the city of Kupyansk in the Kharkov Region, he added.
Battles in Krasny Liman direction
Russian forces eliminated over 90 Ukrainian troops in the Krasny Liman area over the past day, Konashenkov said.
"In the Krasny Liman direction, artillery and heavy flamethrower systems of the battlegroup Center struck the enemy units," eliminating "over 90 Ukrainian personnel, three infantry fighting vehicles, three vehicles, one Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer, as well as D-20 and D-30 howitzers," the general specified.
Battles in Donetsk direction
The units of the southern group Russian forces eliminated more than 80 Ukrainian troops in the Donetsk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Donetsk direction, more than 80 Ukrainian personnel, three armored combat vehicles, four pickup trucks, three Grad multiple rocket launchers and one Msta-B howitzer were destroyed in the past 24 hours as a result of active operations by units of the southern battlegroup, air strikes and artillery fire," the spokesman said.
Battles in southern Donetsk, Zaporozhye directions
Russian forces destroyed over 50 Ukrainian troops in the southern Donetsk and Zaporozhye areas over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the southern Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, operational/tactical aircraft and artillery of the battlegroup East employed combined firepower to inflict damage on the Ukrainian army units near the settlements of Novomikhailovka, Ugledar, Prechistovka, Privolnoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Orekhov in the Zaporozhye Region," the spokesman said, adding that the enemy’s losses in those directions in the past 24 hours exceeded 50 Ukrainian personnel, three pickup trucks and one D-30 howitzer.
Battles in Kherson direction
Russian forces destroyed two hangars with military equipment of the 122th territorial defense brigade of the Ukrainian forces near the Otradokamenka in the Kherson Region, Konashenkov reported.
Moreover, up to 20 Ukrainian troops, three vehicles and two Gvozdika self-propelled howitzers were eliminated over the past day in the Kherson direction.
Russian air defenses intercept nine HIMARS, Olkha rockets, seven drones
Russian air defense forces intercepted nine HIMARS and Olkha rockets and downed seven drones of the Ukrainian forces over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 402 Ukrainian combat aircraft, 222 helicopters, 3,464 unmanned aerial vehicles, 414 surface-to-air missile systems, 8,338 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,069 multiple launch rocket systems, 4,388 field artillery guns and mortars and 9,011 special military motor vehicles since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine, Konashenkov concluded.