MOSCOW, December 15. /TASS/. Russian forces struck the command posts of two Ukrainian army brigades in the Kharkov Region in the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Thursday.

"Missile troops and artillery struck the command posts of the Ukrainian army’s 92nd separate mechanized brigade near the community of Petropavlovka and 105th territorial defense brigade in the area of the settlement of Sinkovka in the Kharkov Region, and also 45 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions, manpower and military hardware in 86 areas," the spokesman said.

Russian forces delivered artillery and heavy flamethrower fire, thwarting an attempt by Ukrainian army units to advance in the Lugansk People’s Republic in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Kupyansk direction, preemptive artillery and heavy flamethrower fire and army aviation strikes thwarted an enemy attempt to attack the Russian troop positions in the area of the settlement of Sofiyevka in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

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

"As many as 35 Ukrainian servicemen, a combat armored vehicle and three pickup trucks were destroyed," Konashenkov reported.

Russian army aviation and artillery strikes thwarted a counter-attack by four Ukrainian assault groups in three communities in the Lugansk People’s Republic in the past day, the general said.

"In the Krasny Liman direction, army aviation strikes and artillery fire thwarted an attempt by four assault groups of the Ukrainian army to counter-attack in areas near the settlements of Ploshchanka, Golikovo and Kremennaya in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

Russian forces eliminated over 40 Ukrainian troops, an infantry fighting vehicle and three armored vehicles in that area in the past 24 hours, the general specified.

Russian forces continued their offensive in the Donetsk area, gaining new advantageous positions in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Donetsk direction, Russian troops continue their offensive operations, as a result of which they have taken new advantageous frontiers and positions. During the last 24-hour period, the enemy made unsuccessful attempts to regain its positions in areas near the settlements of Severnoye and Krasnogorovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. All the Ukrainian army’s counter-attacks were repelled," the spokesman said.

In the past 24 hours, the enemy’s losses in that area amounted to about 30 soldiers killed and wounded, an armored personnel carrier and two motor vehicles, the general specified.

Russian forces eliminated two Ukrainian subversive/reconnaissance groups near Pavlovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the area of the settlement of Pavlovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, two subversive/reconnaissance groups of the Ukrainian armed forces were eliminated," the spokesman said.

Russian combat aircraft and artillery struck the Ukrainian army’s reserves in the southern Donetsk area in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the southern Donetsk direction, air strikes and artillery fire struck the enemy’s reserves in the area of the settlement of Dobrovolye in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

The Ukrainian army’s casualties in that area in the past 24 hours amounted to 40 troops killed and wounded and four destroyed motor vehicles, the general specified.

Russian forces wiped out a US-made AN/TPQ-37 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 Kleshcheyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, an AN/TPQ-37 counter-battery radar of US manufacture was destroyed," the spokesman said.

In addition, in the area of Kupyansk in the Kharkov Region, Russian forces wiped out an ammunition depot of the Ukrainian army. In the area of the community of Tyaguinka in the Kherson Region, they obliterated a depot of the Ukrainian army’s armaments, military and special hardware. In the town of Orekhov in the Zaporozhye Region, they destroyed a depot of the Ukrainian army’s supplies and equipment, the general specified.

The Russian Aerospace Forces shot down a MiG-29 fighter jet and a Mi-8 helicopter of the Ukrainian Air Force in the Donetsk People’s Republic in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"Fighter aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces shot down a MiG-29 plane of the Ukrainian Air Force in the area of the settlement of Yablonovka. In the area of the community of Nikolayevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, a Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopter was shot down," the spokesman said.

Russian air defense forces destroyed 11 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles and two Uragan rockets in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the past 24 hours, air defense capabilities destroyed 11 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles in areas near the settlements of Stepnoye, Novoandreyevka, Volnoye and Nikolskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Sadovoye and Semyonovka in the Zaporozhye Region," the spokesman said.

In addition, they intercepted two rockets of the Ukrainian Uragan multiple launch rocket system in the area of the settlement of Novogorovka in the Zaporozhye Region, he added.

In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 344 Ukrainian warplanes, 184 helicopters, 2,669 unmanned aerial vehicles, 396 surface-to-air missile systems, 7,127 tanks and other combat armored vehicles, 931 multiple rocket launchers, 3,685 field artillery guns and mortars and 7,614 special military motor vehicles since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine, Konashenkov reported.