MOSCOW, January 31. /TASS/. Russian forces liberated the village of Blagodatnoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) in their successful offensive operations in the Donetsk area over the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Tuesday.
"In the Donetsk direction, volunteers of assault units supported by operational-tactical and army aviation aircraft, missile troops and artillery of the southern battlegroup liberated the community of Blagodatnoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic as a result of successful offensive operations," the spokesman said.
Russian artillery struck manpower and equipment of Ukrainian territorial defense brigades in the Kupyansk area, eliminating roughly 45 enemy troops in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Kupyansk direction, the western battlegroup’s artillery inflicted damage by firepower on the personnel and equipment of units of the 114th and 103rd territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Masyutovka and Tabayevka in the Kharkov Region," the spokesman said.
The strikes eliminated enemy manpower and equipment, the general said.
"The enemy’s losses in that area over the past 24 hours amounted to 45 Ukrainian personnel, one tank, four armored combat vehicles, one motor vehicle, and also a D-20 howitzer," Konashenkov reported.
Russian forces struck two Ukrainian army brigades in the Krasny Liman area, eliminating over 60 enemy troops in the past day, he said.
"In the Krasny Liman direction, artillery and heavy flamethrower fire by the battlegroup Center inflicted damage on units of the Ukrainian army’s 25th airborne and 95th air assault brigades in the area of the community of Yampolovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic and also the Serebryansky forestry," the spokesman said.
The strikes eliminated over 60 Ukrainian troops and four armored combat vehicles, the general specified.
Russian forces destroyed about 50 Ukrainian troops in the Donetsk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Donetsk direction, as many as 50 Ukrainian troops, a French-made Caesar self-propelled artillery gun, a US-manufactured M777 artillery system and also a Msta-B howitzer were destroyed," the spokesman said.
Russian forces struck the Ukrainian army brigade near Ugledar in the Donetsk People’s Republic over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the southern Donetsk direction, units of the battlegroup East inflicted damage by firepower on the forces of the Ukrainian army’s 72nd mechanized brigade near Ugledar and also 110th territorial defense brigade near the settlement of Novopol in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.
The Ukrainian army’s losses in that area in the past 24 hours amounted to over 40 personnel, one tank, two armored combat vehicles and two pickup trucks, the general specified.
Russian forces destroyed two Ukrainian Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems and two ammunition depots in the Kherson area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Kherson direction, two Ukrainian Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems were destroyed in the counter-battery warfare along with two ammunition depots near the settlements of Mikhailovka and Zmiyevka in the Kherson Region," the spokesman said.
Russian troops struck over 80 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"Operational-tactical aircraft, missile troops and artillery of the Russian group of forces struck 84 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions, manpower and military equipment in 126 areas over the past day," the spokesman said.
Russian forces destroyed two Ukrainian artillery ammunition depots near Ugledar and Katerinovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the areas of the settlements of Ugledar and Katerinovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, two Ukrainian artillery ammunition depots were destroyed," the spokesman said.
Russian air defense forces shot down a Ukrainian Air Force Mi-8 helicopter and five drones over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"Russian air defense capabilities shot down a Ukrainian Air Force Mi-8 helicopter near the community of Zolotaya Balka in the Kherson Region. They also destroyed five unmanned aerial vehicles in areas near the settlements of Krivosheyevka, Oborotnovka, Krasnorechenskoye and Vladimirovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic and Belogrudovo in the Kherson Region. In addition, they intercepted three rockets of the US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system near the communities of Zlatoustovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Skadovsk in the Kherson Region," the spokesman said.
Russian forces have destroyed about 1,000 Ukrainian multiple launch rocket systems since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine, the spokesman said.
"In all, the following targets have been destroyed since the beginning of the special military operation: 381 aircraft, 206 helicopters, 2,987 unmanned aerial vehicles, 402 surface-to-air missile systems, 7,691 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 997 multiple launch rocket systems, 3,970 field artillery guns and mortars and 8,229 special military motor vehicles," Konashenkov reported.