MOSCOW, January 19. /TASS/. Russian forces struck 67 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 Thursday.
"Operational-tactical aircraft, missile troops and artillery of the Russian group of forces struck 67 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions, manpower and military equipment in 98 areas," the spokesman said.
Russian army aircraft and artillery eliminated over 30 Ukrainian troops and two Akatsiya self-propelled artillery guns in the Kupyansk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Kupyansk direction, army aircraft and artillery of the Western Military District inflicted damage by firepower on units of the Ukrainian army’s 14th and 92nd mechanized brigades near the communities of Novosyolovskoye in the Lugansk People’s Republic and Ivanovka in the Kharkov Region," the spokesman said.
As a result of the strikes, Russian forces "destroyed over 30 Ukrainian personnel, an armored combat vehicle, two motor vehicles and also two Akatsiya self-propelled howitzers," the general specified.
The Ukrainian military suffered over 60 casualties as a result of strikes by Russian artillery and combat aircraft in the Krasny Liman area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Krasny Liman direction, aircraft and artillery of the Central Military District delivered strikes on units of the Ukrainian army’s 95th air assault brigade near Serebryanka in the Donetsk People’s Republic and 24th mechanized brigade… The enemy’s losses in that area in the past 24 hours amounted to over 60 Ukrainian servicemen killed and wounded," the spokesman said.
Russian forces also destroyed a Ukrainian armored personnel carrier, a D-20 howitzer and three pickup trucks, the general added.
Russian forces also obliterated a Ukrainian artillery depot near the locality of Nevskoye in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Konashenkov reported.
Russian troops continued their successful offensive operations in the Donetsk area, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Donetsk direction, units of the Southern Military District continued their successful offensive operations and inflicted damage on the enemy by firepower in areas near the communities of Galitsynovka, Krasnogorovka and Nevelskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.
Russian forces eliminated roughly 80 Ukrainian troops, three French Caesar artillery systems and a US-made M777 howitzer in the Donetsk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"Over the past 24 hours, as many as 80 Ukrainian personnel, two armored fighting vehicles, four motor vehicles, three French Caesar self-propelled artillery guns, a US-made M777 artillery system, a Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system and two Akatsiya self-propelled artillery guns were destroyed in that area," the spokesman said.
In addition, Russian forces wiped out a Ukrainian ammunition depot in the area of the community of Karlovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic and a US-manufactured AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery radar station near the settlement of Kurakhovo, the general said.
Russian forces gained more advantageous positions and eliminated over 30 Ukrainian troops in the southern Donetsk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the southern Donetsk direction, units of the Eastern Military District gained more advantageous frontiers and eliminated over 30 Ukrainian servicemen, two armored combat vehicles and three pickup trucks as a result of offensive operations," the spokesman said.
Russian fighter aircraft shot down a Ukrainian Su-25 ground attack plane in the Donetsk People’s Republic over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"Fighter aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces shot down a Ukrainian Air Force Su-25 plane near the community of Poltavka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.
Russian air defense forces destroyed five Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"Over the past 24 hours, air defense capabilities destroyed five unmanned aerial vehicles in areas near the settlements of Zhitlovka, Chervonopopovka and Kremennaya in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.
In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 374 Ukrainian warplanes, 200 helicopters, 2,903 unmanned aerial vehicles, 401 surface-to-air missile systems, 7,569 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 985 multiple rocket launchers, 3,865 field artillery guns and mortars and 8,113 special military motor vehicles since the beginning of the special military operation, Konashenkov reported.