MOSCOW, December 21. /TASS/. Russian forces destroyed three US-made M777 howitzers in the Kherson Region and the Donetsk People’s Republic in the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Wednesday.

"In the areas of the communities of Zelenovka in the Kherson Region and Trudovoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic, three M777 howitzers of US manufacture were destroyed," the spokesman said.

In addition, a Grad multiple rocket launcher of the Ukrainian army was destroyed near Vodyanoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic. In the areas of the communities of Temirovka in the Zaporozhye Region and Artyomovsk in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Russian forces obliterated two Ukrainian army hangars of foreign-made armaments and military hardware. In areas near the settlements of Berestyanoye in the Kharkov Region and Veselyanka in the Zaporozhye Region, two artillery ammunition depots of the Ukrainian army were destroyed, Konashenkov reported.

Russian forces wiped out a Buk-M1 anti-aircraft missile system and a radar of the Ukrainian army in the Kherson Region in the past day, he said.

"In the area of the settlement of Belozyorka in the Kherson Region, positions were uncovered and a Ukrainian Buk-M1 self-propelled anti-aircraft missile launcher and a P-18 target acquisition radar were destroyed," the spokesman said.

As the general specified, "in the past 24 hours, Russian operational-tactical aircraft, missile troops and artillery wiped out 63 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions, manpower and military equipment in 87 areas."

The Russian Aerospace Forces wiped out an oil depot in the Kharkov Region that supplied fuel for the Ukrainian army, Konashenkov reported.

"In the area of the settlement of Andreyevka in the Kharkov Region, a strike by the Russian Aerospace Forces obliterated an oil storage facility that supplied fuel for Ukrainian military hardware," the spokesman said.

Russian troops also eliminated enemy manpower and equipment in the Kupyansk area in the past day, the general added.

"In the Kupyansk direction, combined firepower strikes on the enemy eliminated as many as 60 Ukrainian servicemen, two armored personnel carriers and three pickup trucks in areas near the settlements of Petropavlovka, Peschanoye and Berestovoye in the Kharkov Region," Konashenkov reported.

Russian army aviation and artillery strikes eliminated over 30 Ukrainian militants in the Krasny Liman area in the past day, he said.

"In the Krasny Liman direction, army aviation and artillery strikes against the amassed enemy manpower and military equipment in areas near the settlements of Terny and Torskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic eliminated over 30 Ukrainian troops, one tank and five pickup trucks," the spokesman said.

Also, six Ukrainian servicemen laid down their arms and surrendered, the general said.

Russian troops gained new commanding heights in their offensive in the Donetsk area in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Donetsk direction, Russian troops gained new commanding heights and frontiers as a result of offensive operations. In the past 24 hours, they destroyed over 80 Ukrainian troops, one tank, three infantry fighting vehicles and four motor vehicles in that area," the spokesman said.

Russian forces struck manpower and equipment of two Ukrainian army brigades in the southern Donetsk area in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the southern Donetsk direction, artillery fire wiped out manpower and military hardware of units of the Ukrainian army’s 72nd mechanized brigade near the settlement of Novomikhailovka and 108th territorial defense brigade in the area of the settlement of Prechistovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

The enemy’s casualties in that area amounted to 50 Ukrainian servicemen killed and wounded, two combat armored vehicles and four pickup trucks, the general specified.

Fighter aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces shot down a Su-25 ground attack plane 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 Su-25 plane of the Ukrainian Air Force in the area of the settlement of Krasnogorovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. In addition, a Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopter was destroyed near the community of Artyomovsk in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

Russian air defense forces intercepted two HIMARS rockets in the Lugansk People’s Republic in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the past 24 hours, air defense capabilities intercepted two rockets of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system in the area of the settlement of Novokrasnyanka in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

In addition, Russian air defense systems shot down two Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles in the areas of the settlements of Knyaze-Grigorovka in the Kherson Region and Nikolayevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the general said.