MOSCOW, March 18. /TASS/. Russian forces struck a gathering place of Ukrainian army commanders and senior security officers over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Monday.

"Operational-tactical aircraft, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groupings of forces delivered a strike at a gathering place of the command staff of the Ukrainian Security Council and armed forces, and also stuck enemy manpower and military hardware in 137 areas," the ministry said in a statement.

Russian forces eliminate 60 Ukrainian troops in Kupyansk area over past day

Russian forces eliminated roughly 60 Ukrainian troops in the Kupyansk area over the past day, the ministry reported.

"In the Kupyansk direction, units of the Western Battlegroup in interaction with aircraft and artillery struck enemy formations near the settlement of Sinkovka in the Kharkov Region. The Ukrainian army lost as many as 60 personnel, 4 motor vehicles, a US-made M777 artillery system, a D-30 howitzer and a Grad multiple rocket launcher," the ministry said.

Russian forces thwart Ukrainian subversive groups’ attempts to penetrate border area

Russian forces thwarted attempts by Ukrainian subversive/reconnaissance groups to penetrate the borderline Belgorod Region over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Attempts by Ukrainian subversive/reconnaissance groups to penetrate the Russian state border from Ukraine’s territory near the settlement of Kozinka in the Belgorod Region were foiled. As a result, the enemy lost as many as 150 servicemen and militants killed and wounded, 2 tanks, 3 motor vehicles and a Czech-made Vampire multiple launch rocket system," the ministry said.

In the Belgorod direction, Russian forces inflicted damage on amassed manpower and military hardware of the Ukrainian army’s 105th and 120th territorial defense brigades and militants of Ukraine’s RVC (Russian Volunteer Corps) terrorist formation near the settlements of Popovka, Lukashovka and Velikaya Pisarevka in the Sumy Region and Staritsa in the Kharkov Region, it said.

Russian forces destroy 380 Ukrainian troops in Donetsk area over past day

Russian forces struck Ukrainian army units in the Donetsk area, destroying roughly 380 enemy troops and 2 armored vehicles over the past day, the ministry reported.

"In the Donetsk direction, units of the Southern Battlegroup took more advantageous sites and inflicted damage on formations of the Ukrainian army’s 80th and 93rd mechanized, 81st airmobile, 79th air assault and 241st territorial defense brigades near the settlements of Maksimilyanovka, Kleshcheyevka and Krasnoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic. They also repelled an attack by an assault group of the Ukrainian army’s 46th airmobile brigade near the settlement of Krasnogorovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost roughly 380 personnel, 2 armored combat vehicles, including a US-made M113 armored personnel carrier, and four motor vehicles in the Donetsk area over the past day, it specified.

Russian forces repulse seven Ukrainian counterattacks near Avdeyevka over past day

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

"In the Avdeyevka direction, units of the Battlegroup Center improved their forward edge positions and inflicted damage on amassed personnel and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 59th motorized infantry, 31st, 47th and 53rd mechanized brigades near the settlements of Netailovo, Umanskoye, Ocheretino and Novobakhmutovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. In addition, they repelled seven attacks and counterattacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian army’s 24th and 47th mechanized and 78th air assault brigades near the settlements of Kirovo, Orlovka, Berdychi, Semyonovka and Tonenkoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in the Avdeyevka direction over the past 24 hours amounted to 295 personnel, 2 infantry fighting vehicles, 3 armored combat vehicles, 9 motor vehicles and a UK-made FH70 howitzer, it specified.

Russian forces eliminate over 130 Ukrainian troops in south Donetsk area in past day

Russian forces struck Ukrainian army units in the south Donetsk area, eliminating more than 130 enemy troops and 3 armored vehicles over the past day, the ministry reported.

"In the south Donetsk direction, units of the Battlegroup East took more advantageous sites and inflicted damage on formations of the 128th territorial defense brigade near the settlement of Shakhtyorskoye and repelled an attack by an assault group of the Ukrainian army’s 58th motorized infantry brigade near the settlement of Urozhainoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The Ukrainian army lost over 130 personnel, a tank, 2 armored personnel carriers and 4 motor vehicles," the ministry said.

Russian forces strike two Ukrainian army brigades in Zaporozhye area over past day

Russian forces inflicted casualties on two Ukrainian army brigades in the Zaporozhye area, destroying more than 55 enemy troops over the past day, the ministry reported.

"In the Kherson direction, units of the Dnepr Battlegroup inflicted damage by firepower on amassed manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 128th mountain assault and 28th mechanized brigades near the settlements of Stepnogorsk and Shcherbaki in the Zaporozhye Region. The enemy’s losses amounted to over 55 personnel, 2 motor vehicles, a D-20 howitzer and 2 Gvozdika motorized artillery systems," the ministry said.

Russian air defenses down Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopter, 143 UAVs over past day

Russian air defense forces shot down a Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopter, 143 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and 26 rockets over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Air defense capabilities shot down a Ukrainian Air Force Mi-8 helicopter and destroyed 143 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, 22 rockets of the Vampire and Grad multiple launch rocket systems, three Uragan rockets and a HIMARS rocket," the ministry said in a statement.

In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 577 Ukrainian warplanes, 270 helicopters, 15,992 unmanned aerial vehicles, 486 surface-to-air missile systems, 15,521 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,243 multiple rocket launchers, 8,440 field artillery guns and mortars and 19,910 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation, the ministry reported.