MOSCOW, June 8. /TASS/. Russian air defense forces shot down two Ukrainian MiG-29 fighters and a Mi-8 helicopter in the Nikolayev Region, Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov said on Wednesday.
"Russian air defense capabilities shot down two MiG-29 planes of the Ukrainian Air Force near the community of Snegiryovka in the Nikolayev Region, and also a Mi-8 helicopter in the area of the settlement of Belaya Krinitsa in the Nikolayev Region," the spokesman said.
Russian air defense systems also intercepted three Ukrainian Tochka-U tactical missiles and five shells of the Smerch multiple launch rocket system in the Kherson Region, Konashenkov said.
"Three Tochka-U tactical missiles and five shells of the Smerch multiple launch rocket system were intercepted in the area of Chernobayevka in the Kherson Region," the spokesman said.
The Russian air defense capabilities also shot down 11 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles near the communities of Donetsk, Rubtsy, Lozovoye, Krasnorechenskoye, Koroviy Yar and Peski-Radkovskiye in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Izyum and Dergachi in the Kharkov Region and Chernobayevka in the Kherson Region, he added.
Russian combat aircraft eliminated a command post of Ukraine’s 14th mechanized brigade, two Grad multiple rocket launchers and an electronic warfare station, Konashenkov said.
"Operational-tactical aircraft destroyed 63 areas of amassed Ukrainian manpower and military equipment in the past 24 hours. The air strikes wiped out a command post of the Ukrainian army’s 14th mechanized brigade, over 160 nationalists, eight tanks, two Grad multiple launch rocket systems, an artillery battery and an electronic warfare station," the spokesman said.
The air strikes also obliterated 13 Ukrainian military motor vehicles of various designation, he added.
The Russian Aerospace Forces delivered strikes by precision missiles against the armor-producing plant near Kharkov where the Ukrainian armor was repaired, Konashenkov said.
"Air-launched precision missiles delivered a strike against the armor-producing plant near Kharkov where the Ukrainian tanks and other armored vehicles were repaired and recovered at its workshops," the spokesman said.
The Russian Aerospace Forces delivered strikes by precision missiles in the past 24 hours to destroy two Ukrainian command posts, four arms and ammunition depots and a fuel storage facility, Konashenkov said.
"Air-launched precision missiles obliterated two command posts, 13 areas of amassed Ukrainian manpower and military hardware, and also a battery of Uragan multiple launch rocket systems near Kharkov. The strikes eliminated four arms and ammunition depots near the communities of Malinovka in the Kharkov Region, Spornoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Zvanovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.
The strikes destroyed a Ukrainian army fuel storage facility near Chuguyev in the Kharkov Region, he added.
Russian missile and artillery troops eliminated over 68 Ukrainian command posts, 320 nationalists and 172 enemy artillery positions, Konashenkov said.
"The missile and artillery troops eliminated the following targets: 68 command posts, 172 Ukrainian artillery positions, including two batteries of Smerch multiple launch rocket systems near Aleksandrovka and Kutuzovka, a battery of Uragan multiple launch rocket systems near the community of Kitsevka in the Kharkov Region, and also 261 areas of amassed manpower and military hardware," the spokesman said.
The missile and artillery strikes eliminated over 320 nationalists, four ammunition depots near Novoyelenovka in the Zaporozhye Region, nine pieces of armor, three Grad multiple rocket launchers, 15 field artillery guns and mortars, 14 special vehicles, and also combat vehicles of Buk-M1 anti-aircraft missile systems near the community of Shelkoplyasy and Osa-AKM surface-to-air missile systems in Verkhnyaya Roganka in the Kharkov Region, he added.
Ukraine’s military sustained over 300 casualties in the Russian army’s liberation of Svyatogorsk in Donbass, Konashenkov said.
The Ukrainian military is sustaining heavy losses both in manpower and military hardware in Donbass, he stressed.
"Just over three days of battles for the liberation of Svyatogorsk in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the Ukrainian troops lost over 300 nationalists, six tanks and 15 combat armored vehicles of various types," the spokesman said.
During the clashes, the Ukrainian military also lost 36 field artillery guns and mortars, four Grad multiple launch rocket systems and over 20 motor vehicles, he said.
"Overall, the following targets have been destroyed since the beginning of the special military operation: 192 aircraft, 130 helicopters, 1,150 unmanned aerial vehicles, 335 anti-aircraft missile systems, 3,459 tanks and other combat armored vehicles, 489 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,822 field artillery guns and mortars and 3,488 special military motor vehicles," the spokesman said.