MOSCOW, February 29. /TASS/. The Ukrainian military lost over 490 troops and 7 tanks near Avdeyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) over the past day, Russia’s Defense Ministry said on Thursday, reporting on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine.

"In the Avdeyevka direction, units of the Battlegroup Center took more advantageous sites and positions and inflicted damage on manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 53rd and 61st mechanized and 59th motorized infantry brigades near the settlements of Berdychi, Severnoye, Orlovka and Pervomaiskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The enemy lost as many as 495 personnel, 7 tanks, 2 infantry fighting vehicles, 4 armored combat vehicles and 11 motor vehicles," the ministry said in a statement.

In counter-battery fire, Russian forces destroyed three Ukrainian D-20 howitzers, a Msta-B howitzer, a Gvozdika motorized artillery system and two D-30 howitzers, it specified.

Russian forces improve tactical position in Kupyansk area over past day

Russian forces improved their tactical position in the Kupyansk area, eliminating roughly 50 Ukrainian troops and three enemy combat vehicles over the past day, the ministry reported.

"In the Kupyansk direction, units of the Western Battlegroup improved their tactical position and inflicted damage by firepower on enemy manpower and equipment near the settlements of Sinkovka in the Kharkov Region and Terny in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The enemy’s losses amounted to 50 personnel, a tank, two armored combat vehicles and three motor vehicles," the ministry said.

In counter-battery fire, Russian forces destroyed a US-made M198 howitzer, a Polish-manufactured Krab self-propelled artillery system, an Akatsiya self-propelled artillery gun, an Msta-B howitzer, a Gvozdika motorized artillery system and a D-30 howitzer, it specified.

Kiev suffers 600 casualties in Donetsk area over past day

The Ukrainian military suffered roughly 600 casualties and lost four combat vehicles, including an American armored personnel carrier 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 on massed manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 28th mechanized brigade and 92nd assault brigade near the settlements of Andreyevka, Kleshcheyevka and Kurdyumovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. Near the settlement of Berestovoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic, four counterattacks by the Ukrainian army’s 10th mountain assault brigade were repulsed," the ministry said.

The enemy lost as many as 600 personnel, two tanks, two armored personnel carriers, including a US-made M113 armored vehicle, and 10 motor vehicles in the Donetsk direction over the past 24 hours, it said.

In counter-battery fire, Russian forces destroyed a Ukrainian Uragan multiple rocket launcher, a Polish-manufactured Krab self-propelled artillery gun, a D-20 howitzer and three D-30 howitzers, the ministry specified.

Russian forces eliminate 105 Ukrainian troops in south Donetsk area over past day

Russian forces struck Ukrainian army units in the south Donetsk area, eliminating roughly 105 enemy troops over the past day, the ministry reported.

"In the south Donetsk direction, units of the Battlegroup East inflicted damage by combined firepower on the enemy’s personnel and equipment near the communities of Urozhainoye, Rovnopol and Staromayorskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The enemy’s losses amounted to 105 personnel, three motor vehicles, a D-20 howitzer and a Gvozdika motorized artillery system," the ministry said.

Russian forces take advantageous sites in Kherson area over past day

Russian forces took advantageous sites and inflicted damage on massed Ukrainian troops and military hardware in the Kherson area, eliminating roughly 50 enemy soldiers and an electronic warfare station over the past day, the ministry reported.

"In the Kherson direction, Russian forces took more advantageous sites and inflicted damage by firepower on amassed manpower and equipment of the [Ukrainian army’s] 118th mechanized, 128th mountain assault and 35th marine infantry brigades near the settlements of Rabotino, Stepovoye and Maliye Shcherbaki in the Zaporozhye Region and Tokarevka in the Kherson Region," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in the Kherson direction over the past 24 hours amounted to 50 personnel, five motor vehicles and a Bukovel-AD electronic warfare station, it said.

Russian forces destroy Ukrainian subversive commando group in Kherson area

Russian forces destroyed a Ukrainian naval special operations subversive group in the Kherson area in its attempt to land on the Black Sea coast over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Units of the Russian grouping of forces operating in the Kherson direction destroyed a subversive group from the Ukrainian Navy’s 73rd special operations center, which tried to land aboard fast-speed motor boats near the Tendra Spit [on the Black Sea coast in the Kherson Region]," the ministry said.

Four enemy boats with the assault force were destroyed and sunk in a brief battle while the fifth boat turned around and sailed in the opposite direction at a fast speed. The enemy lost roughly 25 Ukrainian personnel and one soldier was captured by Russian troops, it said.

Russian forces wipe out three Ukrainian command posts over past day

Russian forces destroyed a command post of Ukraine’s Kupyansk battlegroup and command posts of two Ukrainian army brigades over the past day, the ministry reported.

"A command post of the Kupyansk combat group and two command posts of the Ukrainian army’s 72nd mechanized brigade and 59th motorized infantry brigade were struck," it said.

During the last 24-hour period, operational-tactical aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groupings of forces also destroyed a Ukrainian S-300PS surface-to-air missile system, three ammunition depots, manpower and military hardware in 126 areas, it said.

Russian air defenses down 2 JDAM smart bombs, 9 HIMARS rockets over past day

Russian air defense forces shot down nine rockets of the US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system, two American JDAM smart bombs and destroyed 93 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Air defense capabilities shot down nine rockets of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system and two JDAM guided air bombs. In addition, they destroyed 93 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles," the ministry said.

In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 575 Ukrainian warplanes, 267 helicopters, 13,715 unmanned aerial vehicles, 475 surface-to-air missile systems, 15,286 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,227 multiple rocket launchers, 8,223 field artillery guns and mortars and 19,211 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation, the ministry reported.