MOSCOW, December 23. /TASS/. Russian forces wiped out two US-made M777 howitzers in 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 Friday.

"In the counter-battery warfare, two M777 artillery systems of US manufacture were wiped out in the area of the settlement of Selidovo in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

In the area of the community of Konstantinovka, two Ukrainian Grad multiple rocket launchers that shelled populated areas of the Donetsk People’s Republic were destroyed, the general added.

Russian forces eliminated over 30 Ukrainian troops in the Kupyansk area in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Kupyansk direction, over 30 Ukrainian servicemen, two infantry fighting vehicles and four motor vehicles were destroyed in the areas of the settlements of Kislovka, Krakhmalnoye and Berestovoye in the Kharkov Region as a result of strikes against enemy strongholds," the spokesman said.

Russian forces eliminated two Ukrainian subversive groups in the Lugansk People’s Republic, destroying over 40 enemy troops and mercenaries in the Krasny Liman area in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Krasny Liman direction, assault aircraft and artillery delivered strikes on amassed enemy manpower and equipment in areas near the communities of Nevskoye and Novolyubovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic. In addition, in the areas of the Medvezhye seclusion and the Serebryansky forestry, two Ukrainian subversive/reconnaissance groups were eliminated," the spokesman said.

Russian forces destroyed enemy manpower and military hardware during the battles, the general added.

"The enemy’s losses in that direction in the past 24 hours amounted to over 40 Ukrainian soldiers and mercenaries, three combat armored vehicles and two pickup trucks," Konashenkov reported.

The Russian Aerospace Forces struck Ukrainian army strongholds near the city of Artyomovsk in the Donetsk People’s Republic, eliminating over 80 militants and mercenaries in the past day, he said.

"In the Donetsk direction, Russian troops supported by assault aircraft and artillery strikes continued their offensive operations. By their high-precision strikes, the Russian Aerospace Forces wiped out enemy strongholds near the city of Artyomovsk in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

Russian forces destroyed over 80 Ukrainian troops and mercenaries, two tanks, five combat armored vehicles and six motor vehicles, the general specified.

Russian forces eliminated about 45 Ukrainian troops in the southern Donetsk area in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the southern Donetsk direction, as many as 45 Ukrainian servicemen, four armored personnel carriers and three pickup trucks were destroyed in areas near the settlements of Novomayorskoye, Prechistovka and Vodyanoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic as a result of active operations by Russian units and damage inflicted on Ukrainian manpower and equipment by combined firepower," the spokesman said.

Russian fighter aircraft shot down a Ukrainian Su-25 ground attack plane in the Donetsk People’s Republic and a Mi-8 helicopter near Kramatorsk in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"Fighter aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces shot down a Ukrainian Air Force Su-25 plane in the area of the settlement of Orekhovo-Vasilyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. Also, a Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopter was shot down in the area of the city of Kramatorsk in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

Russian troops obliterated two Ukrainian artillery ammunition depots in the Donetsk People’s Republic in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the area of the settlement of Novoselidovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, two artillery ammunition depots of the Ukrainian army were destroyed," the spokesman said.

Russian troops struck 62 Ukrainian artillery units, enemy manpower and military hardware in 87 areas in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"Operational-tactical aircraft, missile troops and artillery struck 62 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions, manpower and military equipment in 87 areas," the spokesman said.

In the area of the settlement of Ivano-Daryevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, a US-made AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery radar was destroyed and in the area near the city of Kharkov a radar station of a Ukrainian S-300 anti-aircraft missile system was obliterated, the general specified.

Russian air defense forces shot down ten Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the past 24 hours, air defense capabilities shot down ten unmanned aerial vehicles in the areas of the settlements of Makeyevka, Novovodyanoye and Kremennaya in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Olginka, Volodino, Kuteinikovo and Yasinovataya in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Malinovka, Maliye Shcherbaki and Pologi in the Zaporozhye Region," the spokesman said.

In addition, Russian air defense systems intercepted two US-made HIMARS rockets near the settlement of Komissarovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic, the general added.

In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 351 Ukrainian warplanes, 189 helicopters, 2,704 unmanned aerial vehicles, 399 surface-to-air missile systems, 7,207 tanks and other combat armored vehicles, 936 multiple rocket launchers, 3,702 field artillery guns and mortars and 7,722 special military motor vehicles since the beginning of their special military operation in Ukraine, Konashenkov reported.