MOSCOW, March 30. /TASS/. Russian air defense forces intercepted a Ukrainian Grom-2 ballistic missile and shot down a Mi-8 helicopter over the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Thursday.
"Air defense capabilities shot down a Ukrainian Air Force Mi-8 helicopter near the settlement of Temirovka in the Zaporozhye Region. In addition, during the last 24-hour period, they intercepted a Grom-2 operational/tactical missile, three rockets of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system, and also destroyed two Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles near the communities of Novoandreyevka and Zelyony Gai in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.
Russian forces strike over 90 Ukrainian artillery units in past day
Russian forces struck over 90 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the past 24 hours, operational/tactical and army aviation aircraft, missile troops and artillery of the Russian group of forces struck 93 artillery units at firing positions, manpower and equipment in 107 areas," the spokesman said.
Battles in Kupyansk direction
Russian forces struck Ukrainian manpower and equipment in the Kupyansk area, eliminating roughly 50 enemy troops over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Kupyansk direction, army aviation aircraft and artillery of the western battlegroup struck the enemy manpower and equipment in areas near the settlements of Gryanikovka and Sinkovka in the Kharkov Region, Novosyolovskoye and Stelmakhovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.
The strikes eliminated enemy troops and equipment, the general said.
"As many as 50 Ukrainian personnel, and also two motor vehicles were destroyed," Konashenkov reported.
Battles in Krasny Liman direction
Russian forces eliminated roughly 130 Ukrainian troops in the Krasny Liman area over the past day, he said.
"In the Krasny Liman direction, aircraft, artillery and heavy flamethrower systems of the battlegroup Center struck the Ukrainian army units in areas near the settlements of Chervonaya Dibrova and Nevskoye in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Yampolovka, Torskoye and Grigorovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.
The strikes eliminated as many as 130 Ukrainian troops, two armored combat vehicles, a Grad multiple rocket launcher and an Akatsiya self-propelled howitzer in that area in the past 24 hours, the general specified.
Battles in Donetsk direction
Russian forces destroyed over 340 Ukrainian troops and mercenaries in their advance in the Donetsk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Donetsk direction, the enemy’s losses amounted to over 340 servicemen and mercenaries, two tanks, four infantry fighting vehicles, six armored combat vehicles, nine motor vehicles, an Uragan multiple rocket launcher and also D-20 and D-30 howitzers in the past 24 hours as a result of active operations by units of the southern battlegroup, air strikes and artillery fire," the spokesman said.
Battles in southern Donetsk, Zaporozhye directions
Russian forces eliminated over 25 Ukrainian troops in the southern Donetsk and Zaporozhye areas in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
In the southern Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, army aviation aircraft and artillery of the battlegroup East struck the Ukrainian army units in areas near the settlements of Vladimirovka and Ugledar in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Malinovka and Shcherbaki in the Zaporozhye Region, the spokesman specified.
"Over 25 Ukrainian troops and two armored combat vehicles were destroyed in those directions in the past 24 hours," the general said.
Battles in Kherson direction
Russian forces destroyed roughly 25 Ukrainian troops and three howitzers in the Kherson area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Kherson direction, as many as 25 Ukrainian personnel, 11 motor vehicles, and also three D-30 howitzers were destroyed as a result of damage inflicted on the enemy by firepower," the spokesman said.
Russian forces destroy Ukrainian army’s ammo, fuel depots
Russian forces destroyed an ammunition depot, a fuel storage facility and a Buk-M1 anti-aircraft missile system of the Ukrainian army in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the area of the settlement of Grebennikovka in the Sumy Region, a Ukrainian Buk-M1 self-propelled anti-aircraft missile launcher was obliterated. In the area of the settlement of Olgovka in the Kherson Region, an ammunition depot of the 126th territorial defense brigade was destroyed. Also, a fuel storage facility of the 102nd territorial defense brigade was eliminated near the settlement of Zaliznichnoye in the Zaporozhye Region," the spokesman said.
In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 404 Ukrainian warplanes, 227 helicopters, 3,622 unmanned aerial vehicles, 415 surface-to-air missile systems, 8,472 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,076 multiple rocket launchers, 4,462 field artillery guns and mortars and 9,199 special military motor vehicles since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine, Konashenkov reported.