MOSCOW, March 13. /TASS/. The Ukrainian military lost roughly 245 troops, a tank and an air defense system in battles with Russian forces in the Donetsk area over the past day, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Wednesday, giving the latest data on the special military operation in Ukraine.

"In the Donetsk direction, Southern Battlegroup units gained more advantageous sites and positions in active operations and inflicted damage on amassed manpower and military hardware of the Ukrainian army’s 56th motorized infantry, 28th, 42nd and 93rd mechanized, 5th and 92nd assault, 17th tank and 241st territorial defense brigades near the settlements of Krasnoye, Kleshcheyevka, Andreyevka and Kurdyumovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said in a statement.

The Ukrainian military lost roughly 245 personnel, a tank, 3 armored combat vehicles, 5 motor vehicles and a Strela-10 surface-to-air missile system. In counter-battery fire, Russian forces destroyed a UK-made AS-90 Braveheart self-propelled artillery system, a D-20 howitzer, 3 D-30 howitzers, a Gvozdika motorized artillery system and a fuel depot in the Donetsk direction over the past 24 hours, it specified.

Ukraine’s army loses 250 troops in Kupyansk area over past day

The Ukrainian army lost roughly 250 troops in battles with Russian forces in the Kupyansk area over the past day, the ministry reported.

"In the Kupyansk direction, units of the Battlegroup West operating in interaction with aircraft and artillery inflicted damage on manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 57th motorized infantry brigade near the settlement of Sinkovka in the Kharkov Region and repelled an enemy counterattack near the settlement of Terny in the Donetsk People’s Republic. They thwarted a Ukrainian army attempt to break through into borderline Russian territory in the Belgorod and Kursk Regions. The enemy’s losses amounted to 250 personnel," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian military also lost 7 tanks, 7 US-made Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, 2 armored personnel carriers, 4 motor vehicles, a US-manufactured M777 howitzer, 2 D-20 howitzers, a D-30 howitzer, a Gvozdika motorized artillery system and a Nona self-propelled artillery gun, it specified.

Russian forces repulse 12 Ukrainian counterattacks in Avdeyevka area over past day

Russian forces repulsed 12 Ukrainian army counterattacks and improved their frontline positions in the Avdeyevka area near Donetsk over the past day, the ministry reported.

"In the Avdeyevka direction, units of the Battlegroup Center improved their forward edge positions in active operations and repulsed 12 counterattacks," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost "as many as 460 personnel, a tank, 3 command and staff vehicles and 17 motor vehicles," it specified.

In counter-battery fire, Russian forces destroyed a UK-made AS-90 Braveheart self-propelled artillery system, a US-manufactured M777 artillery gun, an Msta-B howitzer and a US-made M119 howitzer in the Avdeyevka direction over the past 24 hours, it said.

Russian forces take advantageous sites in south Donetsk area over past day

Russian forces took advantageous sites and inflicted damage on Ukrainian manpower and military equipment in the south Donetsk area over the past day, the ministry reported.

"In the south Donetsk direction, units of the Battlegroup East took more advantageous positions and struck manpower and equipment of the 102nd and 128th territorial defense brigades near the settlements of Malinovka in the Zaporozhye Region, Staromayorskoye and Urozhainoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

Russian forces also repelled a counterattack by formations of the Ukrainian army’s 58th motorized infantry brigade near the settlement of Novodonetskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic," it said.

"The Ukrainian army’s losses amounted to 150 personnel, two armored personnel carriers and two pickup trucks," the ministry specified.

Russian forces strike four Ukrainian army brigades in Kherson area over past day

Russian forces inflicted damage on four Ukrainian army brigades in the Kherson area over the past day, the ministry reported.

"In the Kherson direction, units of the Dnepr Battlegroup inflicted damage by firepower on formations of the Ukrainian army’s 141st infantry, 23rd National Guard, 126th territorial defense and 35th marine infantry brigades near the settlements of Stepovoye in the Zaporozhye Region, Nikopol in the Dnepropetrovsk Region, Berislav and Tyaginka in the Kherson Region," the ministry said.

The enemy lost roughly 30 troops, two motor vehicles, a US-made M777 artillery system, an Akatsiya self-propelled artillery gun and a Gvozdika motorized artillery system in the Kherson direction over the past 24 hours, it specified.

Russian troops destroy 2 Ukrainian Mi-8 gunships, Patriot air defense system in past day

Russian forces destroyed two Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopters, an arms repair workshop and a US-made Patriot air defense 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 two Ukrainian Air Force Mi-8 helicopters on a site near the settlement of Novopavlovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic and a workshop for the repair of armament and military hardware near the community of Balakleya in the Kharkov Region," the ministry said.

Russian forces also destroyed a US-made Patriot air defense system at a firing position in the Kharkov Region and struck Ukrainian manpower and military equipment in 129 areas over the past 24 hours, it specified.

Russian air defenses down four HIMARS rockets, 136 Ukrainian UAVs over past day

Russian air defense forces shot down four rockets of the US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system, three French-manufactured Hammer smart bombs and destroyed 136 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) over the past day, the ministry reported.

"During the last 24-hour period, air defense capabilities shot down 136 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, four rockets of the US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system, six rockets of the Grad multiple rocket launcher and three French-manufactured Hammer guided air bombs," the ministry said.

In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 577 Ukrainian warplanes, 269 helicopters, 15,362 unmanned aerial vehicles, 485 surface-to-air missile systems, 15,464 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,238 multiple rocket launchers, 8,397 field artillery guns and mortars and 19,709 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation, the ministry reported.