MOSCOW, May 26. /TASS/. Russian forces have destroyed 179 Ukrainian combat aircraft, 1,019 unmanned aerial vehicles, 3,266 tanks and other armored vehicles and 433 multiple launch rocket systems since the start of their special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Major-General Igor Konashenkov said on Thursday.

"Overall, the following targets have been eliminated since the beginning of the special military operation: 179 aircraft, 127 helicopters, 1,019 unmanned aerial vehicles, 323 surface-to-air missile systems, 3,266 tanks and other combat armored vehicles, 433 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,682 field artillery guns and mortars and 3,190 special military motor vehicles," the spokesman said.

Russian forces delivered strikes by air-launched precision missiles to wipe out two Ukrainian artillery batteries and two ammunition depots near Nikolayevka and Berestovoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Konashenkov said.

"In the past 24 hours, air-launched precision missiles eliminated the following targets: 48 areas of amassed Ukrainian manpower and military hardware, two artillery batteries and two ammunition depots in the areas of Nikolayevka and Berestovoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

Russian air defense systems shot down a Ukrainian military transport plane with foreign weapons near Odessa, Konashenkov said.

"Russian air defense capabilities shot down a Ukrainian Mi-24 helicopter over the settlement of Gusarovka in the Kharkov Region. They also downed a Ukrainian Air Force military transport plane over the community of Kremidovka in the Odessa Region that was delivering ammunition and armaments," the spokesman said.

In the areas of the communities of Zelyony Gai in the Kherson Region, Bolshiye Prokhody and Maliye Prokhody, Gavrilovka and Vesyoloye in the Kharkov Region, Yepifanovka and Kirovsk in the Lugansk People’s Republic, the Russian air defense forces shot down 13 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, the general said.

"In particular, [they eliminated] two Soviet-made Tu-143 ‘Reys’ drone jets near the settlement of Melovatka in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

Russian combat aircraft delivered strikes in the past 24 hours to destroy a Ukrainian arms depot and 49 areas of amassed manpower and equipment, eliminating over 350 militants, Konashenkov said.

"Operational-tactical and army aviation aircraft hit 49 areas of amassed Ukrainian troops and military hardware, two mortar teams and a missile/artillery arms and ammunition depot," the spokesman said.

The air strikes eliminated over 350 Ukrainian nationalists and destroyed 96 pieces of military equipment, the general said.

Russian forces delivered strikes by precision weapons to eliminate a Ukrainian radio-electronic reconnaissance center, an eleven-strong combat team and 15 foreign staff in the Nikolayev Region, Konashenkov said.

"In the area of the community of Dneprovskoye in the Nikolayev Region, the strikes eliminated the Ukrainian radio-electronic reconnaissance center, including 11 servicemen of the combat team, and also 15 foreign engineer and operational staff who had arrived there with a security force," the spokesman said.

In addition, the strikes destroyed an OSA-AKM anti-aircraft missile launcher near the settlement of Nikolayevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic and a target illumination and aiming radar of the S-300 surface-to-air missile system near the town of Chuguyev in the Kharkov Region, the general added.

Russian missile and artillery troops struck over 500 Ukrainian military targets in the past 24 hours in their special operation in Ukraine, Konashenkov said.

"The Russian missile and artillery troops hit 62 command posts, 407 areas of amassed Ukrainian manpower and military equipment, 47 artillery and mortar units at firing positions and three ammunition depots," the spokesman said.

Also, "the strike delivered on the Pokrovsk railway station in the Donetsk People’s Republic eliminated during an unloading operation units and military hardware of the Ukrainian 10th mountain assault brigade that had arrived to beef up the Ukrainian military in Donbass," the general said.