GENICHESK, August 22. /TASS/. Russian forces destroyed a US-made M777 howitzer and a 120mm mortar of the Ukrainian army in the Kherson area over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, a spokesman for the regional emergency services reported on Tuesday.

"Units of the Dnepr battlegroup inflicted damage on the enemy by firepower, destroying an M777 howitzer with ammunition (casualties: five Ukrainian soldiers were killed and another two received wounds of varying severity) and a 120mm mortar with ammunition (casualties: three Ukrainian personnel were killed and four others sustained wounds of varying severity)," the spokesman said.

In the Kakhovka direction and the island zone, Russian forces destroyed three Ukrainian fire emplacements, he said.