MOSCOW, December 13. /TASS/. Russian forces destroyed seven Ukrainian army command posts in the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Tuesday.

"Operational-tactical aircraft, missile and artillery troops struck seven command posts in the areas of the settlements of Kislovka, Krakhmalnoye, Berestovoye and Monachinovka in the Kharkov Region, Georgiyevka and Vodyanoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Zhyoltaya Krucha in the Zaporozhye Region. In addition, they destroyed 86 artillery units at firing positions, and also manpower and military equipment in 172 areas," the spokesman said.

Russian artillery inflicted damage by firepower on Ukrainian army units and foreign mercenaries in the Kupyansk area, eliminating over 40 militants in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Kupyansk direction, Russian artillery inflicted damage by firepower on uncovered amassment areas and positions of the Ukrainian army and also foreign mercenaries," the spokesman said.

Russian forces eliminated enemy manpower and military equipment during the battles, the general said.

"Over 40 Ukrainian servicemen and militants, two combat armored vehicles and four motor vehicles were destroyed," Konashenkov reported.

Russian forces delivered artillery fire and strikes by heavy flamethrower systems in the Krasny Liman area to thwart counter-attacks by three Ukrainian assault groups, with the enemy suffering over 50 casualties, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Krasny Liman direction, artillery and heavy flamethrower fire thwarted counter-attacks by three assault groups of the Ukrainian army from the areas of the settlements of Terny and Yampolovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The enemy’s losses amounted to over 50 Ukrainian troops killed and wounded, two infantry fighting vehicles, one armored vehicle and three pickup trucks," the spokesman said.

Russian forces continued their advance in the Donetsk area, repelling three Ukrainian army counter-attacks and eliminating over 30 enemy troops in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Donetsk direction, Russian troops continued their offensive operations, repelling three enemy counter-attacks in the past 24 hours. As a result of damage inflicted by firepower, over 30 Ukrainian military personnel, four combat armored vehicles and three pickup trucks were destroyed," the spokesman said.

Russian forces thwarted an attempt by a Ukrainian motorized infantry company to counter-attack in the southern Donetsk area, eliminating about 50 militants in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the southern Donetsk direction, an attempt by a Ukrainian motorized infantry company to advance from the assembly area for a counter-attack near the settlement of Pavlovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic was thwarted as a result of damage inflicted by combined firepower," the spokesman said.

The enemy’s losses in that area amounted to 50 personnel killed and wounded, three combat armored vehicles and three pickup trucks, the general specified.

The Russian Aerospace Forces wiped out a Ukrainian battery of multiple launch rocket systems in the Donetsk People’s Republic in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the area of the settlement of Krasny Liman in the Donetsk People’s Republic, a strike by the Russian Aerospace Forces obliterated a battery of the Ukrainian army’s multiple launch rocket systems," the spokesman said.

In addition, Russian forces destroyed an ammunition depot of the Ukrainian army near the community of Konstantinovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the general added.

Russian air defense forces intercepted two HIMARS rockets, a HARM anti-radar missile and two unmanned aerial vehicles in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the past 24 hours, air defense capabilities shot down two unmanned aerial vehicles in areas near the settlements of Zhitlovka and Kremennaya in the Lugansk People’s Republic. In addition, they intercepted two rockets of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system in the area of the community of Pervomaisk in the Lugansk People’s Republic and a HARM anti-radiation missile near the community of Makarovka in the Kherson Region," the spokesman said.

In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 343 Ukrainian warplanes, 183 helicopters, 2,655 unmanned aerial vehicles, 396 surface-to-air missile systems, 7,087 tanks and other combat armored vehicles, 930 multiple rocket launchers, 3,684 field artillery guns and mortars and 7,582 special military motor vehicles since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine, Konashenkov reported.