MOSCOW, November 18. /TASS/. Russian air defense forces shot down two Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles and ten HIMARS and Uragan rockets in the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Friday.
"In the past 24 hours, air defense capabilities shot down two unmanned aerial vehicles in the areas of the settlements of Goncharovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic and Nikolskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.
In addition, Russian air defense systems intercepted ten rockets of Uragan and HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems in the areas of the communities of Strelechya in the Kharkov Region, Makeyevka and Ilovaisk in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the general added.
Russian forces thwarted Ukrainian army attacks in the Kupyansk area, destroying over 50 militants, two tanks and five armored vehicles in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Kupyansk direction, the attempts by the enemy’s two company tactical groups to advance towards the communities of Yagodnoye in the Kharkov Region and Kuzyomovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic were thwarted as a result of damage by firepower inflicted by Russian artillery and heavy flamethrower systems," the spokesman said.
Russian troops eliminated over 50 Ukrainian servicemen, two tanks and five armored vehicles, the general specified.
Russian forces thwarted Ukrainian army attacks in the Krasny Liman area, halting and scattering enemy troops in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Krasny Liman direction, the Ukrainian army’s attempt to advance towards the settlement of Chervonopopovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic was thwarted. The advancing enemy units were halted and scattered as a result of Russian artillery’s concentrated fire," the spokesman said.
During the combat, Russian forces destroyed as many as 40 Ukrainian soldiers, two infantry fighting vehicles and two armored vehicles, the general specified.
Russian troops liberated the settlement of Opytnoye during offensive operations in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Donetsk People’s Republic, the settlement of Opytnoye was liberated as a result of offensive operations by Russian troops," the spokesman said.
The Ukrainian military suffered over 100 casualties in its failed attempts to halt the advance of Russian troops in the Donetsk People’s Republic and was pushed back to initial positions, Konashenkov reported.
"The enemy made unsuccessful attempts to counter-attack in the areas of the settlements of Sladkoye, Vladimirovka and Pavlovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic to halt the advance of Russian troops. All the counter-attacks were thwarted by artillery strikes and the operations of Russian assault groups. The Ukrainian army units were scattered and pushed back to initial positions," the spokesman said.
The Ukrainian military lost over 100 troops killed and wounded. Russian forces also destroyed one Ukrainian tank, three infantry fighting vehicles, two armored personnel carriers and seven motor vehicles, the general specified.
Russian forces destroyed a Ukrainian Uragan multiple launch rocket system in counter-battery fire in the Kharkov Region in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the counter-battery warfare, an Uragan multiple launch rocket system of the Ukrainian army was destroyed in the area of the settlement of Volchansk in the Kharkov Region," the spokesman said.
Russian combat aircraft, missile and artillery troops wiped out Ukrainian army command posts in the Zaporozhye and Kharkov Regions in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"Operational-tactical and army aviation aircraft, missile and artillery troops destroyed the Ukrainian army’s command posts in the areas of the settlements of Shevchenkovo and Kupyansk in the Kharkov Region and Dimitrovo in the Zaporozhye Region, and also 83 artillery units at firing positions, manpower and military hardware in 172 areas," the spokesman said.
Russian forces delivered a concentrated strike by precision weapons against Ukrainian military command and defense industry sites, Konashenkov reported.
"On November 17, the Russian Armed Forces delivered a concentrated strike by long-range air-, sea-and ground-based high-precision weapons against Ukrainian military command and defense industry sites and the associated fuel and energy infrastructure," the spokesman said.
All the goals of the strike were achieved. In particular, Ukrainian missile armament production capacities were hit, the general said.
"The strike obliterated an arsenal of Western-supplied artillery armaments prepared for their delivery to the troops. The relocation of the Ukrainian army’s reserves and the delivery of foreign weapons to combat zones were disrupted," Konashenkov reported.