MOSCOW, December 29. /TASS/. Russian missile troops and artillery struck four Ukrainian command posts in the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Thursday.

"Russian missile and artillery troops struck four Ukrainian army command posts in the area of the city of Kherson, the communities of Kupyansk, Novoosinovo in the Kharkov Region and Gavrilovka in the Dnepropetrovsk Region, and also 83 artillery units at firing positions, manpower and military hardware in 102 areas," the spokesman said.

"In the city of Seversk in the Donetsk People’s Republic, a Msta-B howitzer was obliterated and D-20 and D-30 howitzers were wiped out in areas near the settlements of Ivanovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Orekhov in the Zaporozhye Region," the general said.

Russian troops delivered strikes against Ukrainian army units in the Kharkov Region, eliminating over 20 militants in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Kupyansk direction, artillery strikes inflicted damage on the Ukrainian army units in areas near the communities of Timkovka, Kislovka and Berestovoye in the Kharkov Region. Over 20 Ukrainian military personnel, two combat armored vehicles and three motor vehicles were eliminated," the spokesman said.

Russian artillery and combat aircraft eliminated over 70 servicemen of the Ukrainian army’s 95th air assault brigade in the Krasny Liman area in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Krasny Liman area, artillery fire, assault and army aviation strikes against units of the Ukrainian army’s 95th air assault brigade in the area of the Serebryansky forestry eliminated as many as 70 Ukrainian military personnel, three combat armored vehicles and five pickup trucks," the spokesman said.

Russian troops gained new advantageous sites in their advance in the Donetsk area in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Donetsk direction, Russian troops continued their offensive operations, taking new advantageous frontiers and positions. The enemy’s losses in that area in the past 24 hours amounted to over 80 Ukrainian servicemen killed and wounded, four infantry fighting vehicles, three combat armored vehicles and six motor vehicles," the spokesman said.

Russian forces eliminated about 30 Ukrainian troops in the southern Donetsk area in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the southern Donetsk area, artillery fire and active operations of Russian troops inflicted damage on the Ukrainian army units in areas near the settlements of Sladkoye, Vladimirovka, Pavlovka and Velikaya Novosyolka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. As many as 30 Ukrainian troops, two combat armored vehicles and four pickup trucks were destroyed," the spokesman said.

Russian troops eliminated two Ukrainian subversive groups in the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Zaporozhye Region in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In areas near the settlements of Vremevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Levadnoye in the Zaporozhye Region, two enemy subversive groups were eliminated," the spokesman said.

Russian forces destroyed two US-made M777 howitzers in the Kharkov Region in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the counter-battery warfare, two M777 artillery systems of US manufacture were destroyed near the settlement of Kruglyakovka in the Kharkov Region," the spokesman said.

In addition, Russian troops uncovered and destroyed a US-made HIMARS multiple rocket launcher in the area of the settlement of Konstantinovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the general said.

Combat aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces shot down Ukrainian Su-25 and Su-24 warplanes and two enemy Mi-8 helicopters in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"Fighter aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces shot down Ukrainian Air Force Su-25 and Su-24 planes in the areas of the settlements of Krasny Liman and Kramatorsk. In addition, two Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopters were downed in areas near the settlements of Suvorov and Orlovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

Russian air defense forces intercepted four HIMARS and Uragan rockets in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the past 24 hours, Russian air defense capabilities intercepted four rockets of HIMARS and Uragan multiple launch rocket systems in areas near the settlements of Popasnaya in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Peremozhnoye and Tarasovka in the Zaporozhye Region," the spokesman said.

During the last 24-hour period, Russian air defense systems shot down seven Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles near the communities of Pshenichnoye, Kremennaya, Chervonaya Dibrova and Koshelevka in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Kirillovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic and also Lyubimovka in the Kherson Region, the general specified.

In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 354 Ukrainian warplanes, 194 helicopters, 2,741 unmanned aerial vehicles, 399 surface-to-air missile systems, 7,296 tanks and other combat armored vehicles, 953 multiple rocket launchers, 3,742 field artillery guns and mortars and 7,810 special military motor vehicles since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine, Konashenkov reported.