MOSCOW, February 19. /TASS/. Russian forces struck Ukrainian army units near Avdeyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), killing and wounding roughly 565 enemy troops over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Monday.

"The enemy lost as many as 565 personnel killed and wounded, two armored combat vehicles, 23 motor vehicles, two US-made M777 artillery systems and a D-30 howitzer," the ministry said in a statement.

Russian troops strike three Ukrainian army brigades in Avdeyevka area

Russian troops inflicted damage on three Ukrainian army brigades and repulsed nine enemy attacks near Avdeyevka over the past day, the ministry reported.

"In the Avdeyevka direction, units of the Battlegroup Center gained more advantageous frontiers and positions and fully liberated the Avdeyevka coke plant. They also inflicted damage on amassed manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 71st jaeger, 23rd mechanized and 116th territorial defense brigades near the settlements of Solovyovo and Tonenkoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

During the last 24-hour period, Russian forces "repulsed nine attacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian army’s 53rd and 59th mechanized and 3rd assault brigades near the settlements of Lastochkino and Pervomaiskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic," it said.

Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu reported to President of Russia Vladimir Putin on February 17 that the Russian army had taken full control of the city of Avdeyevka near Donetsk. Russia’s Battlegroup Center continued its offensive operations for further liberation of the Donetsk People’s Republic, the ministry said. Russian troops cleared an area of 31.75 sq. km. from Ukrainian nationalists, and also liberated the Avdeyevka coke plant, it said.

Russian forces repel six Ukrainian attacks in Kupyansk area over past day

Russian forces repelled six Ukrainian army attacks in the Kupyansk area, destroying roughly 30 enemy troops and 11 items of enemy equipment over the past day, the ministry reported.

"In the Kupyansk direction, units of the Battlegroup West supported by air strikes and artillery fire repelled six attacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian army’s 30th, 32nd and 60th mechanized brigades in areas near the settlements of Sinkovka in the Kharkov Region and Terny in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The enemy lost as many as 30 personnel, a Leopard tank, two armored personnel carriers and four motor vehicles," the ministry said.

In counter-battery fire, Russian troops destroyed a Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery system, an Akatsiya self-propelled artillery gun, a D-20 howitzer and a Gvozdika motorized artillery system, the ministry specified.

Russian forces improve frontline positions in Donetsk area over past day

Russian forces improved their frontline positions and repulsed four Ukrainian army attacks in the Donetsk area, eliminating more than 275 enemy troops over the past day, the ministry reported.

"In the Donetsk direction, units of the Southern Battlegroup improved their forward edge positions and inflicted damage on formations of the Ukrainian army’s 22nd, 42nd and 93rd mechanized, 79th and 80th air assault brigades near the settlements of Novomikhailovka, Grigorovka, Kurdyumovka and Kleshcheyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. In addition, they repulsed four attacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian army’s 24th mechanized brigade near the settlement of Leninskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in the Donetsk area over the past 24 hours amounted to more than 275 personnel, two infantry fighting vehicles, two motor vehicles and a D-30 howitzer, the ministry specified.

Russian forces eliminate 150 Ukrainian troops in south Donetsk area over past day

Russian forces struck Ukrainian army units in the south Donetsk area, eliminating roughly 150 enemy troops over the past day, the ministry reported.

"In the south Donetsk direction, units of the Battlegroup East inflicted damage on formations of the [Ukrainian army’s] 102nd and 128th territorial defense brigades near the settlements of Staromayorskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Chervonoye in the Zaporozhye Region. They also repulsed an attack by an assault group of the Ukrainian army’s 58th mechanized brigade near the settlement of Shevchenko in the Zaporozhye Region," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in the south Donetsk area over the past 24 hours amounted to 150 personnel, three motor vehicles, an Akatsiya self-propelled artillery system, a D-20 howitzer and two Bukovel-AD electronic warfare stations, the ministry specified.

Russian forces destroy 45 Ukrainian troops, howitzer in Kherson area over past day

Russian forces destroyed roughly 45 Ukrainian troops and a howitzer in the Kherson area over the past day, the ministry reported.

"In the Kherson direction, the Ukrainian army’s losses amounted to 45 personnel, four pickup trucks and a D-20 howitzer as a result of well-coordinated operations by units of the Dnepr Battlegroup and damage inflicted on the enemy by combined firepower," the ministry said.

Russian forces wipe out French-made air defense system in Ukraine operation

Russian forces destroyed a French-made anti-aircraft missile system over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Operational-tactical aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groupings of forces destroyed a French-made SAMP/T surface-to-air missile system and inflicted damage on Ukrainian manpower and military hardware in 138 areas," the ministry said.

Russian air defenses down 96 Ukrainian military drones over past day

Russian air defense forces shot down 96 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Air defense capabilities shot down 96 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles near the settlements of Olshana, Krakhmalnoye and Timkovka in the Kharkov Region, Svatovo and Kremennaya in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Artyomovsk, Peski and Vladimirovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Ulyanovka and Verbovoye in the Zaporozhye Region, Razdolnoye in the Kherson Region and two rockets of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system," the ministry said.

In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 571 Ukrainian warplanes, 266 helicopters, 12,819 unmanned aerial vehicles, 471 surface-to-air missile systems, 15,107 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,222 multiple rocket launchers, 8,102 field artillery guns and mortars and 18,837 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation, the ministry reported.