MOSCOW, March 22. /TASS/. Russian forces destroyed two Ukrainian hangars storing armaments and military equipment at an airfield near Odessa over the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov reported on Wednesday.

"On the territory of the Shkolny airfield near the city of Odessa, two hangars storing armaments and military equipment of the Ukrainian army were struck," the spokesman said.

In addition, Russian forces struck 83 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions, manpower and military hardware in 112 areas, the general specified.

Battles in Kupyansk direction

Russian forces struck Ukrainian manpower in the Kupyansk area, eliminating over 50 enemy troops and an ammunition depot in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Kupyansk direction, artillery of the western battlegroup struck the enemy units in areas near the settlements of Dvurechnaya, Sinkovka, Olshana and Kotlyarovka in the Kharkov Region," the spokesman said.

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

"Over 50 Ukrainian personnel, two armored combat vehicles, two motor vehicles and a 2S3 Akatsiya self-propelled howitzer were destroyed," he said.

In addition, Russian forces obliterated an ammunition depot of the Ukrainian army’s 103rd territorial defense brigade near the settlement of Kislovka in the Kharkov Region, Konashenkov reported.

Battles in Krasny Liman direction

Russian combat aircraft, artillery and heavy flamethrower systems struck Ukrainian manpower and equipment in the Krasny Liman area, destroying over 90 enemy troops in the past day, he said.

"In the Krasny Liman direction, operational/tactical aircraft, artillery and heavy flamethrower systems of the battlegroup Center struck the Ukrainian manpower and equipment in areas near the settlements of Chervonaya Dibrova, Ploshchanka and Kuzmino in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

The strikes eliminated over 90 Ukrainian personnel, two armored combat vehicles, three pickup trucks, a Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer and a D-30 howitzer in that area in the past 24 hours, the general specified.

Battles in Donetsk direction

Russian forces destroyed over 300 Ukrainian troops in their advance in the Donetsk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Donetsk direction, over 300 Ukrainian personnel, three armored combat vehicles, three motor vehicles, an Akatsiya self-propelled artillery gun and a D-20 howitzer were destroyed in the past 24 hours as a result of active operations by units of the southern battlegroup, air strikes, artillery and heavy flamethrower fire," the spokesman said.

Battles in southern Donetsk, Zaporozhye directions

Russian forces destroyed roughly 40 Ukrainian troops, a US-made M777 artillery gun and a fuel depot in the southern Donetsk and Zaporozhye areas over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

In the southern Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, operational/tactical aircraft and artillery of the battlegroup East struck the Ukrainian army units near the settlements of Ugledar in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Zaliznichnoye, Malaya Tokmachka and Maliye Shcherbaki in the Zaporozhye Region, the spokesman said.

"The enemy’s losses in the past 24 hours amounted to 40 Ukrainian personnel, three motor vehicles and a US-made M777 artillery system. In addition, a depot storing fuel for military hardware of the Ukrainian army’s 102nd territorial defense brigade was obliterated near the community of Zaliznichnoye in the Zaporozhye Region," the general said.

Battles in Kherson direction

Russian forces destroyed roughly 20 Ukrainian troops and a Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer in the Kherson area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Kherson direction, as many as 20 Ukrainian personnel, two motor vehicles and also a Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer were destroyed as a result of damage inflicted on the enemy by firepower," the spokesman said.

Russia’s Aerospace Forces down Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopter in Kharkov Region

Russian combat aircraft shot down a Ukrainian Air Force Mi-8 helicopter in the Kharkov 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 settlement of Maliye Krynki in the Kharkov Region," the spokesman said.

Russian air defenses down three US-made HIMARS rockets

Russian air defense forces shot down 26 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles and three rockets of the US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the past 24 hours, air defense capabilities destroyed 26 unmanned aerial vehicles near the settlements of Krivosheyevka, Nikolayevka, Rubezhnoye and Kremennaya in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Peski and Novoandreyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Vasilyevka, Stepovoye and Novopokrovka in the Zaporozhye Region, and also Golaya Pristan and Krynki in the Kherson Region. In addition, they shot down three rockets of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system," the spokesman said.

In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 403 Ukrainian combat aircraft, 224 helicopters, 3,528 unmanned aerial vehicles, 414 surface-to-air missile systems, 8,370 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,070 multiple rocket launchers, 4,410 field artillery guns and mortars and 9,052 special military motor vehicles since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine, Konashenkov reported.