MOSCOW, December 30. /TASS/. Russian forces delivered a massive strike on December 29 against Ukrainian military command centers and defense industry energy sites during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Friday.
"On December 29, the Russian Armed Forces delivered a massive strike by air-and sea-based long-range high-precision weapons against the military command system and energy sites providing for the operation of the Ukrainian defense industry," the spokesman said.
The goal of the massive strike was achieved and all the designated targets were struck, the general said.
"The strike halted the production and repair of military hardware and ammunition and thwarted the redeployment of Ukrainian army reserves from western regions of Ukraine. As a result of disrupted railway carriages, foreign armaments supplied to the Ukrainian army were blocked in rear areas," Konashenkov reported.
Russian forces obliterated two US-made AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery radar stations in the Donetsk People’s Republic over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the past 24 hours, missile troops and artillery struck 73 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions, manpower and military equipment in 86 areas. In the area of the settlement of Lebedin in the Sumy Region, a radar station of a Ukrainian S-300 anti-aircraft missile system was destroyed. In areas near the settlements of Vesyoloye and Chasov Yar in the Donetsk People’s Republic, positions were uncovered and two AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery radars of US manufacture were obliterated," the spokesman said.
Russian forces destroyed roughly 60 personnel of two Ukrainian army brigades in the Kupyansk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Kupyansk area, artillery fire struck manpower and military hardware of units of the Ukrainian army’s 14th mechanized brigade near the settlement of Petropavlovka and 92nd mechanized brigade near the community of Kruglyakovka in the Kharkov Region. As many as 60 Ukrainian troops were destroyed," the spokesman said.
Three Ukrainian combat armored vehicles and two pickup trucks were also destroyed, the general added.
Russia’s air and artillery strikes eliminated over 40 Ukrainian troops in the Krasny Liman area in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Krasny Liman area, Russia’s air and artillery strikes against amassed manpower and equipment of the 110th territorial defense brigade near the community of Yampolovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic eliminated over 40 Ukrainian servicemen, four combat armored vehicles and five motor vehicles," the spokesman said.
Russian troops inflicted damage on two Ukrainian army brigades in their offensive in the Donetsk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Donetsk area, damage was inflicted on units of the Ukrainian army’s 25th airborne brigade near the settlement of Krasnaya Gora and 60th mechanized brigade near the community of Kleshcheyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic as a result of successful offensive operations by Russian troops," the spokesman said.
The enemy’s losses in that area in the past 24 hours amounted to 50 Ukrainian military personnel, three armored personnel carriers and four pickup trucks, the general specified.
Russian forces eliminated over 70 Ukrainian troops in the southern Donetsk area in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the southern Donetsk area, army aviation and artillery strikes on amassed units of the Ukrainian army’s 72nd mechanized brigade near the community of Novomikhailovka and 108th territorial defense brigade near the settlement of Prechistovka eliminated over 70 Ukrainian military personnel, five combat armored vehicles and six motor vehicles," the spokesman said.
Russian forces destroyed two 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled artillery guns in the counter-battery warfare in the Donetsk People’s Republic over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In addition, during the counter-battery warfare in areas near the settlements of Berestovoye and Krasnogorovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, two 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems were destroyed," the spokesman said.
In areas near the communities of Lozovaya in the Kharkov Region and Malinovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Russian forces obliterated a Grad multiple rocket launcher, D-20 and D-30 howitzers of the Ukrainian army, the general added.
Fighter aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces shot down a Ukrainian MiG-29 warplane and two Mi-8 helicopters over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"Fighter aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces shot down a Ukrainian Air Force MiG-29 plane near the community of Novoyelizavetovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. In areas near the settlements of Druzhkovka and Yablonovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, two Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopters were shot down," the spokesman said.
Russian air defense systems shot down three Strizh jet drones in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"Air defense capabilities shot down six strike unmanned aerial vehicles, including three Strizh jet drones," the spokesman said.
In areas near the settlements of Kakhovka and Genichesk in the Kherson Region, Kremennaya and Oborotnovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic, eight Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were destroyed. Also, a Bayraktar TB2 drone was shot down near Ochakov in the Nikolayev Region, the general said.
Russian air defense forces destroyed eight HIMARS and Uragan rockets and intercepted a US-made HARM anti-radar missile in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In areas near the settlements of Mospino and Novoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Svistunovka, Pervomaisk and Troitskoye in the Lugansk People’s Republic, eight rockets of HIMARS and Uragan multiple launch rocket systems were destroyed. In the area of the community of Gorlovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, a US-made HARM anti-radiation missile was intercepted," the spokesman said.
In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 355 Ukrainian warplanes, 196 helicopters, 2,756 unmanned aerial vehicles, 399 surface-to-air missile systems, 7,313 tanks and other combat armored vehicles, 954 multiple rocket launchers, 3,746 field artillery guns and mortars and 7,827 special military motor vehicles since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine, Konashenkov reported.