MOSCOW, February 2. /TASS/. Russian forces struck over 70 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions in 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 78 artillery units at firing positions, manpower and military hardware in 105 areas," the spokesman said.

Russian combat aircraft and artillery delivered strikes on Ukrainian army units in the Kupyansk area, destroying over 25 enemy troops in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Kupyansk direction, army aviation aircraft and artillery of the western battlegroup delivered strikes on units of the Ukrainian army’s 92nd mechanized brigade near the settlement of Novosyolovskoye in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

The strikes eliminated enemy manpower and military equipment, the general said.

"Over 25 Ukrainian servicemen, an armored combat vehicle and two motor vehicles were eliminated. In addition, in the area of the settlement of Volchansk in the Kharkov Region, three Ukrainian Grad multiple rocket launchers were hit," Konashenkov reported.

Russian forces inflicted damage on Ukrainian army units in the Krasny Liman area, eliminating over 100 enemy troops in the past day, he said.

"In the Krasny Liman direction, units of the battlegroup Center inflicted damage on the Ukrainian army’s 95th air assault brigade in the area of the settlement of Karmazinovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic and also the Serebryansky forestry as a result of their artillery fire and successful offensive operations," the spokesman said.

As the general specified, "the enemy’s losses in those areas in the past 24 hours amounted to over 100 Ukrainian personnel, six armored combat vehicles and a D-30 howitzer."

Russian forces pushed forward in their offensive in the Donetsk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Donetsk direction, units of the southern battlegroup continue their offensive operations. Army aviation, missile troops and artillery inflicted damage on the Ukrainian army’s 59th motorized infantry brigade and 3rd National Guard Brigade in areas near the settlements of Pervomaiskoye and Vasyukovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

Russian forces eliminated as many as 50 Ukrainian troops, one tank, one armored personnel carrier, two pickup trucks, one Msta-B howitzer and one D-30 howitzer in that area in the past 24 hours, the general specified.

Russian forces destroyed over 65 Ukrainian troops in the Zaporozhye Region and near Ugledar in the Donetsk People’s Republic over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the southern Donetsk and Zaporozhye areas, over 65 Ukrainian servicemen from the 110th territorial defense brigade in the area of the settlement of Poltavka in the Zaporozhye Region and 72nd mechanized brigade in the area of the community of Ugledar in the Donetsk People’s Republic were destroyed as a result of artillery fire and active operations by the battlegroup East," the spokesman said.

During the last 24-hour period, Russian forces also destroyed four Ukrainian armored combat vehicles and two motor vehicles, the general specified.

Russian forces destroyed two Ukrainian ammunition depots over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Kherson direction, two ammunition depots of the Ukrainian army were destroyed as a result of artillery fire in the areas of the city of Kherson and the settlement of Zmiyevka in the Kherson Region," the spokesman said.

Russian combat aircraft destroyed two radar stations of the Ukrainian army in the Zaporozhye Region over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"Aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces destroyed a 35D6 low-altitude radar in the area of the settlement of Malokaterinovka in the Zaporozhye Region along with a US-made AN/TPQ-37 counter-battery radar," the spokesman said.

Russian forces destroyed two US-made multiple launch rocket systems near Kramatorsk in the Donetsk People’s Republic over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the area of the city of Kramatorsk in the Donetsk People’s Republic, an M142 HIMARS launcher and an M270 MLRS of US-manufacture were obliterated," the spokesman said.

Russian forces "also wiped out three Ukrainian missile/artillery armament depots in areas near the settlements of Malinovka and Avdeyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Druzhelyubovka in the Zaporozhye Region," the general added.

Russian air defense forces shot down five Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles and four rockets of the US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the past 24 hours, air defense capabilities shot down four rockets of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system and five Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles near the settlements of Golikovo and Kremennaya in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Berestovoye in the Kharkov Region and Peschanoye in the Kherson Region," the spokesman said.

Russian forces have destroyed over 3,000 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles since the start of the special military operation in Ukraine, Konashenkov reported.

"In all, the following targets have been destroyed since the beginning of the special military operation: 381 aircraft, 206 helicopters, 3,001 unmanned aerial vehicles, 402 surface-to-air missile systems, 7,719 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,003 multiple rocket launchers, 3,981 field artillery guns and mortars and 8,249 special military motor vehicles," the spokesman said.