MOSCOW, April 1. /TASS/. Russian troops destroyed another US-made Abrams tank of the Ukrainian army in the Avdeyevka area, taking better positions and repulsing two enemy counterattacks over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Monday.

"The enemy lost as many as 295 personnel, a US-made Abrams tank, 5 armored combat vehicles and 5 motor vehicles. In counter-battery fire, the following targets were destroyed: a Grad multiple rocket launcher, an Akatsiya self-propelled artillery system, a Gvozdika motorized artillery system, 2 D-30 howitzers and a US-manufactured M119 artillery gun," the ministry said in a statement.

Russia’s Battlegroup Center units took more advantageous positions and inflicted casualties on the Ukrainian army’s 47th mechanized, 59th motorized infantry, 68th jaeger and 25th air assault brigades near the settlements of Pervomaiskoye, Berdychi, Tonenkoye and Vodyanoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic, it specified.

In addition, Russian forces repulsed two counterattacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian army’s 24th mechanized brigade near the settlements of Leninskoye and Shumy in the Donetsk People’s Republic, it said.

Russian forces destroy 30 Ukrainian troops in Kupyansk area over past day

Russian forces struck Ukrainian army units in the Kupyansk area, destroying roughly 30 enemy troops and 7 pieces of military hardware over the past day, the ministry reported.

"In the Kupyansk direction, Western Battlegroup units operating in interaction with operational-tactical aircraft inflicted damage on amassed manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 60th mechanized brigade and 4th tank brigade near the settlements of Yampolovka and Terny in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The enemy’s losses amounted to 30 personnel, 2 infantry fighting vehicles, 4 motor vehicles and a Polish-manufactured Krab-self-propelled artillery gun," the ministry said.

Russian forces take better frontline positions in Donetsk area over past day

Russian forces improved their frontline positions in the Donetsk area over the past day, the ministry reported.

"In the Donetsk direction, Southern Battlegroup units improved their forward edge positions and inflicted casualties on formations of the Ukrainian army’s 31st mechanized brigade and 92nd assault brigade near the settlements of Konstantinovka and Novodmitrovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

Kiev loses 510 troops in Donetsk area over past day

The Ukrainian military lost roughly 510 troops in battles with Russian forces in the Donetsk area over the past day, the ministry reported.

"The Ukrainian army lost as many as 510 personnel, 3 tanks, 4 armored combat vehicles, including a US-made M113 armored personnel carrier, and 27 motor vehicles. Russian forces also destroyed 11 Ukrainian ammunition depots," the ministry said.

In counter-battery fire, Russian forces destroyed two Ukrainian multiple rocket launchers, six self-propelled artillery guns, including three Polish-made Krab artillery systems, an Msta-B howitzer, two D-30 howitzers and a Bukovel-AD electronic warfare station, it specified.

Russian forces improve tactical position in south Donetsk area over past day

Russian forces improved their tactical position in the south Donetsk area over the past day, the ministry reported.

"In the south Donetsk direction, Battlegroup East units improved their tactical position and inflicted damage by firepower on personnel and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 72nd mechanized and 102nd and 108th territorial defense brigades near the settlements of Komsomolskoye and Malinovka in the Zaporozhye Region and Staromayorskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in the south Donetsk direction over the past 24 hours amounted to over 120 personnel, 3 tanks, 2 armored combat vehicles and 2 pickup trucks, it specified.

"In addition, Russian troops destroyed a Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery system, 2 US-manufactured M777 howitzers, a Strela-10 air defense system and a Ukrainian ammunition depot," the ministry reported.

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

Russian forces inflicted casualties on two Ukrainian army brigades in the Kherson area, eliminating roughly 50 enemy troops over the past day, the ministry reported.

"In the Kherson direction, Dnepr Battlegroup units inflicted damage by firepower on amassed personnel and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 35th marine infantry brigade and 128th territorial defense brigade near the settlements of Novotyaginka in the Kherson Region and Dobraya Nadiya in the Dnepropetrovsk Region," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in the Kherson direction over the past 24 hours amounted to 50 personnel, 5 motor vehicles, 2 D-20 howitzers and a Bukovel-AD electronic warfare station, it specified.

Russian forces strike mercenaries’ deployment site near Kharkov over past day

Russian forces destroyed a Ukrainian command post, two S-300 anti-aircraft missile launchers and a mercenaries’ deployment site near Kharkov over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Operational-tactical aircraft, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groupings of forces destroyed a radar site, a command vehicle and two S-300 surface-to-air missile launchers. In addition, they struck a temporary deployment site of foreign mercenaries near the city of Kharkov, and also manpower and military hardware of the Ukrainian army in 138 areas," the ministry said.

Russian air defenses down Ukrainian Su-27 fighter jet in DPR over past day

Russian air defense forces shot down a Ukrainian Su-27 fighter in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Air defense capabilities shot down a Ukrainian Air Force Su-27 plane near the settlement of Raiskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

Russian air defenses intercept 228 Ukrainian UAVs over past day

Russian air defense forces intercepted 228 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), four rockets of the US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system and an American JDAM smart bomb over the past day, the ministry reported.

"During the last 24-hour period, air defense capabilities intercepted 228 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, four rockets of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system and a JDAM guided air bomb of US manufacture," the ministry said.

In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 581 Ukrainian warplanes, 270 helicopters, 18,179 unmanned aerial vehicles, 495 surface-to-air missile systems, 15,670 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,261 multiple rocket launchers, 8,611 field artillery guns and mortars and 20,476 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation, the ministry reported.