MOSCOW, April 24. /TASS/. Russian assault teams continue fighting Ukrainian troops in the western areas of Artyomovsk and artillery, combat aircraft and paratroopers thwarted Kiev’s attempt to counter-attack on the flanks over the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Monday.
"In the Donetsk direction, assault teams continue combat operations in the western districts of the city of Artyomovsk. Operational/tactical and army aviation aircraft and artillery from the southern battlegroup jointly with Airborne Force units rendered support to the assault teams and thwarted the enemy’s attempts to counter-attack on the flanks," the spokesman said.
Russian forces strike Ukrainian army’s reserves advancing to Artyomovsk
Russian forces struck the Ukrainian army’s reserves advancing towards Artyomovsk over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the area of the settlement of Bogdanovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, a strike was delivered against the enemy’s reserves advancing towards the city of Artyomovsk," the spokesman said.
During the last 24-hour period, Russian combat aircraft flew eight sorties and artillery accomplished 76 firing objectives in the Donetsk direction, the general said.
Russian forces neutralize two Ukrainian subversive groups in Kupyansk area
Russian forces neutralized two Ukrainian subversive groups and destroyed over 70 enemy troops in the Kupyansk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Kupyansk direction, operational/tactical and army aviation aircraft and artillery from the western battlegroup struck enemy units in areas near the settlements of Stelmakhovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Sinkovka, Artyomovka, Ivanovka and Figolevka in the Kharkov Region. In areas near the settlements of Novosyolovskoye in the Lugansk People’s Republic and Sinkovka in the Kharkov Region, the activity of two Ukrainian subversive/reconnaissance groups was thwarted," the spokesman said.
The strikes eliminated enemy manpower and equipment, the general said.
"Over 70 Ukrainian personnel, an armored combat vehicle and three pickup trucks were destroyed in the past 24 hours. In addition, in the area of the settlement of Stelmakhovka, an ammunition depot of the Ukrainian army’s 92nd mechanized brigade was obliterated," Konashenkov reported.
Russian forces eliminate over 60 Ukrainian troops in Krasny Liman area
Russian forces eliminated over 60 Ukrainian troops in the Krasny Liman area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Krasny Liman direction, assault and army aviation aircraft and artillery from the battlegroup Center struck enemy manpower and equipment in areas near the settlements of Chervonaya Dibrova and Chervonopopovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Terny and Serebryanka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.
The enemy lost over 60 Ukrainian personnel, two armored combat vehicles, three motor vehicles, a D-20 howitzer and a Gvozdika motorized artillery gun in that area in the past 24 hours, the general specified.
Russian forces destroy over 280 Ukrainian troops in Donetsk advance
Russian forces destroyed over 280 Ukrainian troops and mercenaries in their advance in the Donetsk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"Over 280 Ukrainian personnel and mercenaries, an infantry fighting vehicle, an armored personnel carrier, four armored combat vehicles, 11 motor vehicles, a Grad multiple rocket launcher and a D-30 howitzer were destroyed in that area in the past 24 hours," the spokesman said.
Russian forces eliminate over 20 Ukrainian troops in southern Donetsk, Zaporozhye areas
Russian forces destroyed over 20 Ukrainian troop and two armored combat vehicles in the southern Donetsk and Zaporozhye areas over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
In the southern Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, operational/tactical and army aviation aircraft and artillery from the battlegroup East struck the enemy units in areas near the settlements of Ugledar in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Kamenskoye and Malaya Tokmachka in the Zaporozhye Region, the spokesman specified.
"The enemy’s losses in those directions in the past 24 hours amounted to over 20 Ukrainian personnel, two armored combat vehicles, three motor vehicles and a D-20 howitzer," the general said.
Russian forces destroy 40 Ukrainian troops, US-made M777 howitzer in Kherson area
Russian forces destroyed roughly 40 Ukrainian troops and a US-made M777 artillery system in the Kherson area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Kherson direction, operational/tactical aircraft and artillery destroyed as many as 40 Ukrainian personnel, an armored combat vehicle, two motor vehicles, and also a US-manufactured M777 artillery system in the past 24 hours," the spokesman said.
Russian forces strike foreign mercenaries’ site in DPR with Iskander missiles
Russian forces delivered strikes by an Iskander tactical missile system against a Ukrainian arms depot and a foreign mercenaries’ site in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"On April 21, an Iskander tactical missile system delivered a strike against the arms depot and the foreign mercenaries’ temporary deployment site located in the library building in Konstantinovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The strike eliminated as many as 60 militants of the so-called Georgian legion and 15 items of equipment deployed on the adjacent territory. Another 20 mercenaries received heavy wounds," the spokesman said.
The strike eliminated militants of the Georgian legion who were complicit in brutal tortures and killings of Russian soldiers near Kiev in March last year, the general specified.
"The Russian Defense Ministry has information on each foreign mercenary complicit in the killings of Russian servicemen. All of them will face punishment they deserve," Konashenkov said.
Russian forces neutralize two Ukrainian subversive groups in DPR
Russian forces neutralized two Ukrainian subversive groups in the Donetsk People’s Republic over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the area of the settlement of Terny in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the activity of two Ukrainian subversive/reconnaissance groups was thwarted," the spokesman said.
Russian forces strike Ukrainian army’s command post in DPR
Russian forces struck the Ukrainian army’s command post near Torskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the area of the settlement of Torskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the command/observation post of the Ukrainian army’s 23rd separate rifle battalion was struck. In the areas of the settlements of Orekhov and Kamenskoye in the Zaporozhye Region, two signal centers of the Ukrainian army’s 65th mechanized and 128th mountain assault brigades were struck," the spokesman said.
During the last 24-hour period, operational/tactical and army aviation aircraft, missile troops and artillery of the Russian group of forces struck 92 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions, manpower and equipment in 126 areas, the general reported.
Russian forces wipe out two Ukrainian ammo depots in Zaporozhye area
Russian forces destroyed two ammunition depots of the Ukrainian army in the Zaporozhye area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the areas of the settlements of Ravnopolye and Volnyansk in the Zaporozhye Region, two ammunition depots belonging to the Ukrainian army’s 65th mechanized brigade and 102nd territorial defense brigade were destroyed," the spokesman said.
In areas near the settlements of Novosyolka and Novomikhailovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the activity of two Ukrainian subversive/reconnaissance groups was thwarted, the general added.
Russian forces foil Kiev’s attempt to attack Sevastopol naval base with surface drones
The Kiev regime made another attempt to attack the Russian Black Sea Fleet’s naval base in Sevastopol with three waterborne drones, Konashenkov reported.
"Today, at about 3:30 a.m. Moscow time, the Kiev regime made another attempt to attack the Black Sea Fleet’s base in the city of Sevastopol with three unmanned fast-speed boats," the spokesman said.
Russian submerged anti-saboteur forces destroyed all of the enemy’s three unmanned boats as they approached the Sevastopol Bay. There are no casualties," the general said.
Russian air defenses destroy 38 Ukrainian combat drones in past day
Russian air defense forces shot down 38 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"During the last 24-hour period, air defense capabilities shot down 38 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles in areas near the settlements of Liman Vtoroy, Dvurechnoye and Zhovtnevoye in the Kharkov Region, Krasnorechenskoye, Chervonopopovka, Rubezhnoye and Kremennaya in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Opytnoye, Makeyevka, Nikolskoye, Novobakhmutovka, Zavitne Bazhannya and Kirillovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Shevchenko and Ulyanovka in the Zaporozhye Region, Peschanoye, Golaya Pristan and Kairy in the Kherson Region," the spokesman said.
In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 411 Ukrainian warplanes, 228 helicopters, 3,834 unmanned aerial vehicles, 415 surface-to-air missile systems, 8,821 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,094 multiple rocket launchers, 4,647 field artillery guns and mortars and 9,721 special military motor vehicles since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine, Konashenkov reported.