MOSCOW, December 8. /TASS/. Russian air defense forces intercepted 14 HIMARS, Olkha and Uragan rockets and a HARM anti-radar missile in the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Thursday.
"In the past 24 hours, 14 rockets of multiple launch rocket systems were intercepted in the areas of the settlements of Novopetrikovka and Blagodatnoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Tokmak in the Zaporozhye Region and Novaya Zburyevka in the Kherson Region," the spokesman said.
Russian air defense capabilities also destroyed five Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles in the areas of the communities of Tabayevka in the Kharkov Region, Baranikovka, Kremennaya and Prostornoye in the Lugansk People’s Republic, the general added.
Russian forces delivered air and artillery strikes against amassed Ukrainian manpower in the Kupyansk area, eliminating over 70 militants in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Kupyansk direction, over 70 Ukrainian troops, two infantry fighting vehicles and three motor vehicles were destroyed as a result of strikes by assault and army aviation aircraft and artillery fire against the areas of the Ukrainian army’s amassment," the spokesman said.
Russian troops continue their advance in the Krasny Liman area, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Krasny Liman direction, Russian units continued their offensive operations. In the past 24 hours, strikes by assault and army aviation aircraft and artillery fire eliminated over 60 Ukrainian troops, three infantry fighting vehicles and two motor vehicles," the spokesman said.
Russian forces repelled the Ukrainian army’s unsuccessful attempts to counter-attack in the Donetsk area, eliminating over 50 militants in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Donetsk direction, the enemy made unsuccessful attempts to counter-attack Russian troop units in the areas of the settlements of Spornoye and Berestovoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic. As a result of damage inflicted by firepower, over 50 Ukrainian troops, three combat armored vehicles and two pickup trucks were destroyed," the spokesman said.
Russian forces repelled Ukrainian army attempts to attack in the southern Donetsk area, pushing the enemy back in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the southern Donetsk area, the Ukrainian army’s company tactical group attempted to attack the Russian troop positions in the area of the community of Nikolskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The Ukrainian army units were pushed back to initial positions as a result of decisive actions by Russian troops and artillery strikes," the spokesman said.
During the battles, Russian troops eliminated over 30 Ukrainian personnel, an infantry fighting vehicle, an armored personnel carrier and two motor vehicles, the general specified.
Russia’s Aerospace Forces eliminated over 90 Polish mercenaries as a result of a precision strike in the Kharkov Region in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the area of the settlement of Borovskoye in the Kharkov Region, the Russian Aerospace Forces eliminated over 90 Polish mercenaries as a result of a strike by high-precision weapons," the spokesman said.
Russian troops obliterated a US-made AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery radar of the Ukrainian army in the Donetsk People’s Republic in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the area of the settlement of Dyleyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, an AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery radar station of US manufacture was destroyed," the spokesman said.
The Russian Aerospace Forces delivered strikes by high-precision weapons in the Zaporozhye Region, destroying five US-made multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) and German-made MARS II rocket launchers in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"As a result of strikes by high-precision weapons of the Russian Aerospace Forces, five US-made MLRS and German-made MARS II rocket launchers were destroyed in the areas of the communities of Shevchenkovskoye and Grigorovskoye in the Zaporozhye Region," the spokesman said.
Russian forces also destroyed two US-made HIMARS rocket launchers in the area of the settlement of Ilyichyovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the general added.
Russian troops wiped out a Tochka-U ballistic missile launcher of the Ukrainian army in the Kharkov Region in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"Operational-tactical and army aviation aircraft, missile troops and artillery struck 93 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions, and also manpower and military hardware in 196 areas. In the area of the settlement of Pechenegi in the Kharkov Region, a launcher of a Tochka-U tactical missile system was destroyed," the spokesman said.
In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 341 Ukrainian warplanes, 181 helicopters, 2,643 unmanned aerial vehicles, 392 surface-to-air missile systems, 7,030 tanks and other combat armored vehicles, 920 multiple rocket launchers, 3,668 field artillery guns and mortars and 7,507 special military motor vehicles since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine, Konashenkov reported.