MOSCOW, March 31. /TASS/. The Russian Armed Forces have improved their frontline positions and repelled nine counterattacks by Ukrainian troops in the Avdeyevka area, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

It noted that the adversary lost "up to 300 troops, two armored fighting vehicles, two motor vehicles, as well as a reconnaissance/ radio-electronic warfare station".

"Overall, since the beginning of the special military operation, 580 aircraft, 270 helicopters, 17,951 drones, 492 anti-aircraft weapons systems, 15,650 tanks and other armored vehicles, 1,258 multiple launch rocket system vehicles, 8,594 field artillery guns and mortars as well as 20,433 units of specialized automotive equipment have been eliminated," the military agency said.

Russian forces have delivered a massive surgical strike on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and gas production facilities, disrupting the operations of the military-industrial complex, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

According to the military agency, Russia’s Aerospace Forces delivered a massive strike with long-range precision weapons and drones disrupting the operations of Ukrainian military-industrial enterprises involved in producing and repairing weapons, military hardware and munitions. It added that it also destroyed foreign-made military equipment and arms supplied to Ukraine by NATO countries.

The ministry stated that all targets had been hit and the objectives of the strike achieved.

Donetsk

The Russian Armed Forces have improved their strategic positions south of Donetsk and delivered strikes on Ukrainian personnel and hardware.

The military agency noted that the adversary lost up to 85 troops, two tanks, five vehicles, two US-made howitzers and a munitions depot.

The Russian Armed Forces have taken more advantageous positions in the Donetsk area.

The military agency specified that the Ukrainian army has lost over 300 troops, two armored fighting vehicles, eight motor vehicles, two D-20 guns, a D-30 howitzer, a D-44 cannon, an electronic warfare station and two artillery munitions depots over 24 hours.

Kupyansk area

The Russian Armed Forces have repelled five counterattacks by Ukrainian troops in the Kupyansk area over the past 24 hours.

It specified that the adversary lost up to 25 servicemen and four motor vehicles. Additionally, counterbattery work wiped out a Msta-B howitzer, a D-20 gun, a Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, a Grad multiple launch rocket system combat vehicle, a Nota electronic warfare station and a munitions depot.

Nikolayev Region

The Russian Armed Forces have eliminated three Ukrainian Su-25 aircraft at Voznesensk airfield in the Nikolayev Region, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

"Strategic aviation, missile troops and artillery of the Russian Armed Forces wiped out three Su-25 aircraft of Ukraine’s air force at Voznesensk airfield in the Nikolayev Region," it said in a statement.

The military agency added that Ukrainian military personnel and hardware, two munitions depots and a drone assembly and storage warehouse had been eliminated in 126 districts.

Over 24 hours, air defense systems have taken down 178 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles as well as 23 HIMARS and Uragan rockets.

Zaporozhye Region

The Russian Armed Forces have wiped out up to 50 Ukrainian troops in the Kherson Region and defeated the enemy near Rabotino in the Zaporozhye Region.

The adversary also lost three motor vehicles, a US-made M777 howitzer, an Akatsiya self-propelled artillery system and a D-20 gun.