MOSCOW, January 13. /TASS/. Russian forces struck 117 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions over the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Friday.
"Operational-tactical aircraft, missile troops and artillery of the Russian group of forces struck 117 artillery units at firing positions, manpower and military equipment in 105 areas over the past 24 hours," the spokesman said.
Russian forces delivered artillery strikes on Ukrainian army units in the Kupyansk area, eliminating roughly 20 enemy troops over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Kupyansk direction, as many as 20 Ukrainian troops, three armored combat vehicles and three motor vehicles were destroyed as a result of strikes by artillery of the Western Military District on units of the Ukrainian army’s 103rd territorial defense brigade in areas near the settlements of Krakhmalnoye and Berestovoye in the Kharkov Region," the spokesman said.
Pskov paratroopers inflicted damage on two Ukrainian air assault brigades in the Krasny Liman area, eliminating over 40 militants in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Krasny Liman area, the Pskov Airborne Force unit inflicted damage by artillery fire on the Ukrainian army’s 80th and 95th air assault brigades in areas near the settlements of Grigorovka and Serebryanka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The enemy’s losses in that area totaled over 40 Ukrainian troops killed and wounded, four armored personnel carriers and three pickup trucks," the spokesman said.
Russian troops completed the liberation of Soledar from the Ukrainian military in the Donetsk People’ Republic on the evening of January 12, Konashenkov reported.
"On the evening of January 12, the liberation of the town of Soledar, which is vital for the continuation of successful offensive operations in the Donetsk area, was completed," the general said.
Full control of Soledar makes it possible to cut off the supply routes of Ukrainian troops in Artyomovsk located southwest and subsequently block the city and entrap the Ukrainian military there, the general explained.
The Baltic Fleet’s marine infantry units eliminated over 20 Ukrainian troops in the southern Donetsk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the southern Donetsk area, over 20 Ukrainian troops, two armored fighting vehicles and two motor vehicles were destroyed as a result of damage that the Baltic Fleet’s marine infantry units inflicted on the enemy by combined firepower in areas near the settlements of Poltavka and Uspenovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.
Russian forces destroyed a 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer and three 2S3 Akatsiya howitzers of the Ukrainian army in the Zaporozhye Region over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the counter-battery warfare, a 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer and three 2S3 Akatsiya self-propelled howitzers were destroyed in the counter-battery warfare near the community of Gulyaipole and the town of Orekhov in the Zaporozhye Region," the spokesman said.
Russian forces also destroyed an Uragan multiple rocket launcher and two Grad rocket systems in areas near the settlements of Krasny Liman and Seversk in the Donetsk People’s Republic. In addition, they obliterated three Ukrainian D-20 howitzers in the areas of the settlements of Viyemka and Dyleyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the general specified.
Russian forces destroyed four Ukrainian ammunition depots in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the area of the city of Zaporozhye and the settlement of Yasnogorka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, two ammunition depots of the Ukrainian army’s 107th rocket artillery brigade and 46th air mobile brigade were wiped out. Another two missile/artillery armament depots of the Ukrainian army’s 28th and 65th mechanized brigades and a hangar of armament and military hardware of the 108th territorial defense brigade were destroyed in the areas of the communities of Konstantinovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Novoivanovka and Orekhov in the Zaporozhye Region," the spokesman said.
Russian air defense forces destroyed three Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the past 24 hours, air defense capabilities destroyed three Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles in areas near the communities of Vladimirovka and Nikolskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Zmiyevka in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.
In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 372 Ukrainian warplanes, 200 helicopters, 2,876 unmanned aerial vehicles, 400 surface-to-air missile systems, 7,495 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 982 multiple rocket launchers, 3,820 field artillery guns and mortars and 8,027 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation in Ukraine, Konashenkov reported.