MOSCOW, February 20. /TASS/. Russian forces continued taking advantageous positions near Avdeyevka and repelled four Ukrainian army counter-attacks, eliminating roughly 425 enemy troops over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Tuesday.
"In the Avdeyevka direction, units of the Battlegroup Center continued taking more advantageous frontiers and positions and inflicted damage on amassed manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 24th and 53rd mechanized brigades. In addition, they repelled four counter-attacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian army’s 59th mechanized brigade and 3rd assault brigade near the settlements of Lastochkino and Pervomaiskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said in a statement.
The Ukrainian army’s losses in the Avdeyevka area over the past 24 hours amounted to "425 personnel, a tank, four armored combat vehicles and five motor vehicles," it specified.
Russian forces repulse four Ukrainian attacks in Kupyansk area over past day
Russian forces repulsed four Ukrainian army attacks in the Kupyansk area, destroying roughly 45 enemy troops, a German howitzer and a US-made artillery gun over the past day, the ministry reported.
"In the Kupyansk direction, units of the Western Battlegroup conducted active operations and inflicted damage by firepower on formations of the Ukrainian army’s 30th and 32nd mechanized brigades and also repulsed four enemy counter-attacks near the settlement of Sinkovka in the Kharkov Region. The Ukrainian army’s losses totaled as many as 45 personnel and two pickup trucks," the ministry said.
In counter-battery fire, Russian forces destroyed a German-made Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled howitzer, three Gvozdika motorized artillery systems and a US-manufactured M119 artillery gun, the ministry specified.
Russian forces improve frontline positions in Donetsk area over past day
Russian forces improved their frontline positions and repelled a Ukrainian army attack in the Donetsk area over the past day, the ministry reported.
"In the Donetsk direction, units of the Southern Battlegroup improved their forward edge positions and inflicted damage by firepower on formations of the Ukrainian army’s 28th mechanized brigade and 241st territorial defense brigade near the settlements of Kurdyumovka and Krasnoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic. They also repelled an attack by assault groups of the Ukrainian army’s 42nd mechanized brigade near the settlement of Bogdanovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.
Russian forces destroy over 395 Ukrainian troops, 3 tanks in Donetsk area over past day
Russian forces destroyed more than 395 Ukrainian troops, three tanks and three US-made armored vehicles in the Donetsk area over the past day, the ministry reported.
"The Ukrainian army’s losses totaled over 395 personnel, three tanks, including a German-made Leopard tank, three US-manufactured M113 armored personnel carriers, four armored combat vehicles and nine motor vehicles," the ministry said.
In counter-battery fire, Russian forces destroyed a Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery gun, a D-20 howitzer, a Gvozdika motorized artillery system and a D-30 howitzer, it specified.
Russian forces destroy Ukrainian jammer, anti-tank gun in south Donetsk area over past day
Russian forces destroyed a Ukrainian jamming station and an anti-tank gun in the south Donetsk area, eliminating roughly 190 enemy troops over the past day, the ministry reported.
"The enemy’s losses amounted to 190 personnel, a tank and four motor vehicles. In counter-battery fire, a US-made M777 artillery system, a UK-manufactured FH70 howitzer, an MT-12 Rapira anti-tank gun and a Bukovel-AD electronic warfare station were destroyed," the ministry said.
In the south Donetsk direction, units of Russia’s Battlegroup East inflicted damage by firepower on formations of the Ukrainian army’s 108th territorial defense brigade near the settlement of Lugovskoye in the Zaporozhye Region. In addition, they repelled a counter-attack by an assault group of the Ukrainian army’s 58th mechanized brigade near the settlement of Shevchenko in the Zaporozhye Region, it said.
Russian forces eliminate 120 Ukrainian troops in Kherson area over past day
Russian forces destroyed roughly 120 Ukrainian troops and two US-made artillery guns in the Kherson area over the past day, the ministry reported.
"The Ukrainian army’s losses amounted to 120 personnel, three pickup trucks, a US-made M777 artillery system, a US-manufactured M109 Paladin artillery gun, a Gvozdika motorized artillery system and a D-30 howitzer," the ministry said.
In their well-coordinated operations supported by artillery, units of Russia’s Dnepr Battlegroup inflicted damage by combined firepower on formations of the Ukrainian army’s 65th and 118th mechanized brigades and 82nd air assault brigade near the settlements of Rabotino, Orekhov and Verbovoye in the Zaporozhye Region, the ministry said.
Russian air defenses down Ukrainian MiG-29 warplane in Kherson area over past day
Russian air defense forces shot down a Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jet in the Kherson area over the past day, the ministry reported.
"Air defense capabilities shot down a Ukrainian Air Force MiG-29 aircraft near the settlement of Belozyorka in the Kherson Region," the ministry said.
Russian air defenses intercept seven Storm Shadow missiles over past day
Russian air defense forces intercepted seven Storm Shadow cruise missiles, a missile of the US-made Patriot surface-to-air missile system and three HIMARS rockets over the past day, the ministry reported.
"During the last 24-hour period, air defense capabilities intercepted seven UK-made Storm Shadow cruise missiles, a surface-to-air missile of the US-made Patriot anti-aircraft missile system and three rockets of the US-manufactured HIMARS multiple launch rocket system," the ministry said.
Over the past 24 hours, Russian air defense systems destroyed 124 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, in particular, in areas near the settlements of Mirnoye in the Zaporozhye Region, Lozovoye and Klyuchevoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Podgornoye, Novoyegorovka and Kremennaya in the Lugansk People’s Republic, the ministry specified.
Russian forces pound Ukrainian troops in 117 areas over past day
Russian forces inflicted damage on Ukrainian manpower and military hardware in 117 areas over the past day, the ministry reported.
"Operational-tactical aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groupings of forces struck Ukrainian manpower and military equipment in 117 areas," the ministry said.