MOSCOW, October 18. /TASS/. Russian forces have destroyed over 8,000 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles since the start of the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Wednesday.

"In all, the following targets have been destroyed since the start of the special military operation: 491 aircraft, 251 helicopters, 8,004 unmanned aerial vehicles, 441 surface-to-air missile systems, 12,746 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,163 multiple rocket launchers, 6,810 field artillery guns and mortars and 14,419 special military motor vehicles," the ministry said in a statement.

Russian forces wipe out Ukrainian aircraft ammo depot in Dnepropetrovsk Region

Russian forces destroyed a Ukrainian air-launched ammunition depot in the Dnepropetrovsk Region over the past day, the ministry reported.

"A depot storing the Ukrainian Air Force’s air-launched ammunition was obliterated at the Lozovoye airfield in the Dnepropetrovsk Region. Near the settlements of Serebryanka in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Malinovka in the Zaporozhye Region, command and observation posts of the Ukrainian army’s 67th mechanized brigade and 102nd territorial defense brigade were eliminated," the ministry said.

Russian naval forces destroy Ukrainian seaborne drone in central Black Sea waters

The Black Sea Fleet destroyed a Ukrainian naval drone in the central Black Sea, the ministry reported.

"The Black Sea Fleet’s capabilities destroyed an uncrewed boat of the Ukrainian army in the central Black Sea," the ministry said.

Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on October 6 that a helicopter of the Black Sea Fleet’s naval aviation detected and destroyed a Ukrainian seaborne drone heading to Crimea.

Russian forces repulse 13 Ukrainian attacks in Kupyansk area over past day

Russian forces supported by aircraft and artillery repulsed 13 Ukrainian army attacks in the Kupyansk area over the past day, the ministry reported.

"In the Kupyansk direction, units of the western battlegroup supported by aircraft and artillery fire repulsed in their active operations 13 attacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian army’s 14th, 32nd, 43rd and 115th mechanized brigades near the settlements of Sinkovka, Ivanovka, Pershotravnevoye and Orlyanskoye in the Kharkov Region and Sergeyevka in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

Russian forces eliminate 80 Ukrainian troops in Kupyansk area over past day

Russian forces struck Ukrainian army units in the Kupyansk area, eliminating roughly 80 enemy troops over the past day, the ministry reported.

"The Ukrainian army’s losses totaled as many as 80 personnel, three tanks, a US-made M113 armored personnel carrier, three armored combat vehicles, two pickup trucks and an Akatsiya motorized artillery system," the ministry said.

Russian army aircraft and heavy flamethrower systems inflicted damage on the personnel and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 68th jaeger and 103rd territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Nadiya in the Lugansk People’s Republic and Berestovoye in the Kharkov Region, the ministry specified.

Russian forces repel Ukrainian army attack in Krasny Liman area over past day

Russian forces repelled a Ukrainian army attack in the Krasny Liman area, eliminating roughly 60 enemy troops over the past day, the ministry reported.

"In the Krasny Liman direction, an attack by assault groups of the Ukrainian army’s 63rd mechanized brigade was repelled by well-coordinated operations of units from the battlegroup Center, army aircraft strikes and artillery fire near the settlement of Chervonaya Dibrova in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

The enemy’s losses in the Krasny Liman direction over the past 24 hours amounted to "60 Ukrainian personnel, two armored combat vehicles and two pickup trucks," the ministry specified.

Russian forces also inflicted damage on Ukrainian manpower and military hardware in areas near the settlements of Grigorovka and Chervonaya Dibrova and the Serebryansky forestry, it said.

Kiev loses 115 troops in Donetsk area over past day

Russian forces struck Ukrainian army units in the Donetsk area, killing and wounding roughly 115 enemy troops over the past day, the ministry reported.

"The enemy’s total losses in that direction amounted to 115 personnel killed and wounded, two armored combat vehicles, two pickup trucks, a D-20 artillery gun and an Msta-B howitzer," the ministry said.

Units of Russia’s battlegroup South supported by aircraft and artillery inflicted damage on manpower and military hardware of the Ukrainian army’s 28th, 42nd, 67th and 93rd mechanized brigades, 112th territorial defense brigade and 79th air assault brigade in areas near the settlements of Kurdyumovka, Andreyevka, Kleshcheyevka, Khromovo and Maryinka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the ministry specified.

Russian forces repulse Ukrainian army attack in south Donetsk area over past day

Russian forces repulsed a Ukrainian army attack in the south Donetsk area, eliminating roughly 170 enemy troops over the past day, the ministry reported.

"In the south Donetsk direction, units of the battlegroup East in interaction with army aircraft and artillery repulsed by their professional operations an attack by an assault group of the 102nd territorial defense brigade near the settlement of Chervonoye in the Zaporozhye Region. Assault and army aircraft inflicted damage on the personnel and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 79th air assault, 72nd mechanized and 58th motorized infantry brigades, 107th and 128th territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Novomikhailovka, Pavlovka and Staromayorskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

The enemy’s losses in the south Donetsk direction in the past 24 hours amounted to 170 Ukrainian personnel, two pickup trucks and a Rapira anti-tank gun, it said.

Russian forces destroy 85 Ukrainian troops, howitzer in Zaporozhye area over past day

Russian forces repulsed a Ukrainian army attack near Verbovoye, destroying roughly 85 enemy troops and a howitzer in the Zaporozhye area over the past day, the ministry reported.

"In the Zaporozhye direction, units of the Russian battlegroup supported by assault and army aircraft and artillery fire repulsed an attack by an assault group of the Ukrainian army’s 71st jaeger brigade near the settlement of Verbovoye in the Zaporozhye Region. In addition, they inflicted damage by firepower on the personnel and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 82nd air assault and 116th mechanized brigades near the settlement of Uspenovka in the Zaporozhye Region," the ministry said.

The enemy’s losses in the Zaporozhye direction over the past 24 hours amounted to 85 Ukrainian personnel, two armored combat vehicles, two motor vehicles and a US-made M119 howitzer, the ministry specified.

Russian forces neutralize four Ukrainian subversive groups in Kherson area over past day

Russian forces neutralized four Ukrainian subversive groups in the Kherson area, destroying roughly 70 enemy troops over the past day, the ministry reported.

"In the Kherson direction, the activity of four Ukrainian subversive and reconnaissance groups was thwarted in areas near the settlements of Podstepnoye and Poima in the Kherson Region," the ministry said.

Russian forces destroyed as many as 70 Ukrainian personnel and two motor vehicles in the Kherson area over the past 24 hours as a result of damage inflicted on the enemy by firepower. In counter-battery fire, they knocked out a US-made M777 artillery system and two D-30 howitzers, it said.

Russian air defenses intercept 4 HIMARS rockets, destroy 51 Ukrainian UAVs in past day

Russian air defense forces intercepted four rockets of the US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system and an American JDAM smart bomb and destroyed 51 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Air defense capabilities intercepted four rockets of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system and a JDAM guided air bomb of US manufacture," the ministry said.

In addition, Russian air defense systems destroyed 51 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles near Donetsk, the settlements of Chervonaya Dibrova in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Lozovoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Kamenskoye, Chervonogorka and Novofyodorovka in the Zaporozhye Region, Kazachyi Lageri and Sagy in the Kherson Region and Zhovtnevoye in the Kharkov Region, the ministry specified.

During the last 24-hour period, operational/tactical and army aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groupings of forces inflicted damage on Ukrainian manpower and military equipment in 147 areas, the ministry reported.