MOSCOW, March 28. /TASS/. Russian air defense forces intercepted a GLSDB (Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb) smart munition for the first time during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Tuesday.

"In the past 24 hours, air defense capabilities intercepted 18 rockets of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system and one GLSDB guided munition," the spokesman said.

In addition, Russian air defense systems destroyed 12 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles in areas near the settlements of Pologi in the Zaporozhye Region, Golikovo, Rubezhnoye and Svatovo in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Soledar, Volnovakha and Vladimirovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Velikiye Vyselki in the Kharkov Region, the general added.

Battles in Kupyansk direction

Russian forces destroyed roughly 65 Ukrainian troops in the Kupyansk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Kupyansk direction, aircraft and artillery of the western battlegroup struck the Ukrainian army units near the settlements of Molchanovo, Sinkovka and Berestovoye in the Kharkov Region," the spokesman said.

Russian forces eliminated as many as 65 Ukrainian troops, two armored combat vehicles and three motor vehicles in that area in the past 24 hours, the general said.

Battles in Krasny Liman direction

Russian forces destroyed roughly 125 Ukrainian troops in the Krasny Liman area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Krasny Liman direction, strikes by assault and army aviation aircraft, artillery fire and active operations by units of the battlegroup Center inflicted damage on the enemy manpower and equipment," the spokesman said.

Russian forces destroyed "as many as 125 Ukrainian personnel, four armored combat vehicles, three pickup trucks, and also a Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer, the general specified.

Battles in Donetsk direction

Russian forces eliminated roughly 240 Ukrainian troops and mercenaries in their advance in the Donetsk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Donetsk direction, as many as 240 Ukrainian personnel and mercenaries, three infantry combat vehicles, three armored personnel carriers, two armored combat vehicles, four motor vehicles and a D-30 howitzer were destroyed as a result of active operations by units and artillery of the southern battlegroup," the spokesman said.

Battles in southern Donetsk, Zaporozhye directions

Russian forces destroyed about 20 Ukrainian troops in the southern Donetsk and Zaporozhye areas over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

Combat aircraft and artillery of the battlegroup East struck the Ukrainian army units near the settlements of Novomikhailovka and Ugledar in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the spokesman specified.

"The enemy’s losses in those areas in the past 24 hours amounted to 20 Ukrainian personnel, and also three motor vehicles," the general said.

Battles in Kherson direction

Russian forces destroyed roughly 18 Ukrainian troops and five motor vehicles in the Kherson area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Kherson direction, as many as 18 Ukrainian troops and five motor vehicles were destroyed as a result of damage inflicted on the enemy by firepower," the spokesman said.

Russian forces destroyed a radar of a Ukrainian S-300 anti-aircraft missile system in the Kherson area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the area of the settlement of Davydov Brod in the Kherson Region, a guidance radar of an S-300 surface-to-air missile system was obliterated," the spokesman said.

Russian forces strike 96 Ukrainian artillery units in past day

In the past 24 hours, operational/tactical and army aviation aircraft, missile troops and artillery of the Russian group of forces struck 96 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions, manpower and equipment in 114 areas, the general specified.

In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 404 Ukrainian warplanes, 226 helicopters, 3,612 unmanned aerial vehicles, 414 surface-to-air missile systems, 8,433 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,074 multiple launch rocket systems, 4,449 field artillery guns and mortars and 9,161 special military motor vehicles since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine, Konashenkov reported.