MOSCOW, December 22. /TASS/. Russian forces delivered strikes on 57 Ukrainian artillery sites in the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Thursday.
"Russian operational-tactical aircraft, missile troops and artillery struck 57 artillery units at firing positions, manpower and military hardware in 93 areas," the spokesman said.
Russian troops delivered strikes on enemy manpower in the Kupyansk area, eliminating 15 militants in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Kupyansk direction, strikes on the Ukrainian army’s amassed manpower and military equipment in areas near the settlements of Kucherovka in the Kharkov Region and Novosyolovskoye in the Lugansk People’s Republic eliminated as many as 15 Ukrainian servicemen and two motor vehicles," the spokesman said.
Russian forces struck Ukrainian army units in the Krasny Liman area, with the enemy suffering over 20 casualties in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Krasny Liman direction, Russian artillery struck the enemy units amassed in the areas of the settlements of Sergeyevka in the Lugansk People’s Republic and Terny in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.
Russian forces eliminated enemy manpower and military hardware during the battles, the general said.
"The Ukrainian army’s losses in that direction in the past 24 hours amounted to over 20 servicemen killed and wounded, two combat armored vehicles and three pickup trucks," Konashenkov reported.
Russian forces continued their offensive operations in the Donetsk area, eliminating about 50 Ukrainian troops in the past day, the general said.
"In the Donetsk direction, Russian forces continued their offensive operations. In the past 24 hours, they eliminated as many as 50 Ukrainian troops, two tanks, three infantry fighting vehicles and five motor vehicles in that area," the spokesman said.
Russian forces eliminated two Ukrainian subversive groups in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and the Zaporozhye Region in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the southern Donetsk direction, army aviation strikes, artillery fire and active operations of Russian troops inflicted damage on the Ukrainian army units in areas near the settlements of Nikolskoye, Novomayorskoye and Novopol in the Donetsk People’s Republic. In the areas of the communities of Sladkoye in the DPR and Levadnoye in the Zaporozhye Region, two Ukrainian subversive groups were eliminated," the spokesman said.
In the past 24 hours, as many as 30 Ukrainian troops, two combat armored vehicles and three pickup trucks were destroyed in that area, the general said.
Fighter aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces shot down two Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jets and a Mi-8 helicopter in the Donetsk People’s Republic in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"Fighter aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces shot down two Ukrainian Air Force MiG-29 planes in the areas of the settlements of Shevchenko and Bogatyr. In addition, a Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopter was destroyed near the community of Dobropolye in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.
Russian troops obliterated a Ukrainian repair base for M777 howitzers in the Donetsk People’s Republic in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the area of the settlement of Ptichye in the Donetsk People’s Republic, a repair base of M777 artillery systems was destroyed," the spokesman said.
In the area of the community of Vesyoloye in the Kherson Region, Russian forces uncovered and wiped out a Ukrainian electronic warfare station, the general added.
Russian forces obliterated three Ukrainian army ammunition depots in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the Zaporozhye and the Nikolayev Regions over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the areas of the communities of Artyomovsk in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Gulyaipole in the Zaporozhye Region and Ochakov in the Nikolayev Region, three Ukrainian army ammunition depots were destroyed," the spokesman said.
Russian forces delivered missile strikes on the Ukrainian army’s positions of Grad and Smerch multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) in the Donetsk People’s Republic over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the counter-battery warfare, two missile strikes were delivered against the positions of Ukrainian Grad and Smerch multiple launch rocket systems in the areas of the settlements of Berdychi and Krasnoarmeisk in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.
Russian air defense forces intercepted two HIMARS rockets in the past day, the general said.
"In the past 24 hours, air defense capabilities intercepted two rockets of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system near the communities of Popasnaya and Baranikovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.
In addition, Russian air defense forces shot down three Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles near the settlements of Volodino, Torskoye and Voikovsky in the Donetsk People’s Republic, he said.
In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 350 Ukrainian warplanes, 188 helicopters, 2,694 unmanned aerial vehicles, 399 surface-to-air missile systems, 7,191 tanks and other combat armored vehicles, 934 multiple rocket launchers, 3,700 field artillery guns and mortars and 7,707 special military motor vehicles since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine, Konashenkov reported.