MOSCOW, January 20. /TASS/. Russian forces destroyed a US-made M109 Paladin self-propelled artillery system and also D-30 and Msta-B howitzers in the Kherson area over the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Friday.
"In the Kherson direction, an American M109 Paladin self-propelled artillery system was destroyed at a firing position along with two howitzers (D-30 and Msta-B) in the counter-battery warfare," the spokesman said.
Russian forces destroyed a US-made counter-battery radar and a Ukrainian military equipment hangar in the Zaporozhye Region over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"A hangar storing Ukrainian armaments and military equipment was obliterated in the area of the settlement of Kamenskoye in the Zaporozhye Region. In addition, a US-manufactured AN/TPQ-37 counter-battery radar was destroyed in the area of the settlement of Malaya Tokmachka in the Zaporozhye Region," the spokesman said.
Russian combat aircraft and artillery destroyed roughly 30 Ukrainian troops in the Kupyansk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Kupyansk area, army aviation aircraft and artillery of the Western Military District inflicted damage by firepower on units of the Ukrainian army’s 14th and 92nd mechanized brigades in areas near the settlements of Timkovka, Tabayevka and Berestovoye in the Kharkov Region," the spokesman said.
As a result of the strikes, Russian forces "destroyed as many as 30 Ukrainian personnel, an armored combat vehicle, two pickup trucks, and also two D-20 and D-30 howitzers," the general specified.
Russian artillery delivered strikes on Ukrainian army units in the Krasny Liman area, eliminating over 40 militants in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Krasny Liman direction, artillery of the Central Military District inflicted damage on units of the Ukrainian army’s 92nd and 66th mechanized brigades near the communities of Stelmakhovka and Makeyevka in the Lugansk People’s Republic, and also on the Ukrainian army’s 95th air assault brigade in the area of the Serebryansky forestry," the spokesman said.
"The enemy’s losses in that area in the past 24 hours amounted to over 40 personnel, two infantry fighting vehicles, four armored combat vehicles and a D-20 howitzer," the general specified.
Russian forces also wiped out a Ukrainian artillery ammunition depot near the settlement of Krasny Liman in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Konashenkov reported.
Russian forces liberated the community of Kleshcheyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, he said.
"In the Donetsk direction, volunteers of assault teams supported by operational-tactical and army aviation aircraft, missile troops and artillery of the Southern Military District liberated the settlement of Kleshcheyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.
Russian forces liberated the community of Lobkovoye in their offensive operations in the Zaporozhye Region, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Zaporozhye direction, units of the Eastern Military District liberated the community of Lobkovoye in the Zaporozhye Region as a result of their successful offensive operations," the spokesman said.
The Ukrainian military lost about 90 troops, four armored vehicles and three howitzers in the Zaporozhye area over the past day as a result of damage inflicted by Russian forces, Konashenkov reported.
"The enemy’s losses [in the Zaporozhye area] in the past 24 hours totaled as many as 90 Ukrainian servicemen killed and wounded, four armored combat vehicles, three motor vehicles, an Akatsiya self-propelled howitzer, and also two D-20 and D-30 howitzers," the spokesman said.
Russian fighter aircraft shot down a Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopter in the Kherson Region over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"Fighter aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces shot down a Ukrainian Air Force Mi-8 helicopter near the community of Posad-Pokrovskoye in the Kherson Region," the spokesman said.
Russian forces struck 78 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"Operational-tactical aircraft, missile troops and artillery of the Russian group of forces inflicted damage on 78 artillery units at firing positions, manpower and military equipment in 103 areas," the spokesman said.
Russian forces destroyed a Ukrainian ammunition depot in the Donetsk People’s Republic over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"A depot storing ammunition for the Ukrainian army’s multiple launch rocket systems was destroyed near the community of Zvanovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. In addition, as many as 60 Ukrainian military personnel, three armored combat vehicles, two motor vehicles, two Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems, and also Giatsint-B and D-20 howitzers were eliminated over the past day," the spokesman said.
Russian air defense forces shot down a Ukrainian Air Force Mi-8 helicopter in the Kharkov Region over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"Russian air defense capabilities shot down a Ukrainian Air Force Mi-8 helicopter near the settlement of Lozovaya in the Kharkov Region. In the past 24 hours, they also destroyed five unmanned aerial vehicles in areas near the settlements of Chervonopopovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Berdyansk in the Zaporozhye Region, Kirillovka and Zelyony Gai in the Donetsk People’s Republic. They intercepted six rockets of HIMARS and Uragan multiple launch rocket systems near the communities of Mirnoye and Lyubimovka in the Zaporozhye Region," the spokesman said.
Russian troops have destroyed over 2,900 Ukrainian army drones since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine, he said.
"In all, the following targets have been destroyed since the beginning of the special military operation: 374 warplanes, 202 helicopters, 2,908 unmanned aerial vehicles, 401 surface-to-air missile systems, 7,583 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 985 multiple launch rocket systems, 3,878 field artillery guns and mortars, and also 8,121 special military motor vehicles," Konashenkov reported.