MOSCOW, April 2. /TASS/. Russian troops have destroyed over 20,500 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Tuesday.

"In all, the following targets have been destroyed since the start of the special military operation: 581 aircraft, 270 helicopters, 18,374 unmanned aerial vehicles, 495 surface-to-air missile systems, 15,680 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,261 multiple rocket launchers, 8,629 field artillery guns and mortars and 20,530 special military motor vehicles," the ministry said in a statement.

Russian forces repulse two Ukrainian attacks in Kupyansk area over past day

Russian forces repulsed two Ukrainian army attacks in the Kupyansk area, destroying roughly 20 enemy troops, an ammunition depot and 7 pieces of military equipment over the past day, the ministry reported.

"In the Kupyansk direction, Western Battlegroup units repulsed two attacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian army’s 95th air assault brigade near the settlement of Terny in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The Ukrainian army’s losses amounted to 20 personnel, 3 motor vehicles, a US-made 155mm M777 howitzer, a 152mm D-20 howitzer, a 122mm Gvozdika motorized artillery system, an Anklav-N electronic warfare station and a Ukrainian field ammunition depot," the ministry said.

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

Russian forces took better positions and inflicted casualties on six Ukrainian army brigades in the Donetsk area over the past day, the ministry reported.

"In the Donetsk direction, Southern Battlegroup units took more advantageous sites and inflicted damage by firepower on personnel and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 28th mechanized, 79th air assault, 5th and 92nd assault, 46th and 81st airmobile brigades near the settlements of Belogorovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Andreyevka, Antonovka, Krasnogorovka and Chasov Yar in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

Russian forces repel two Ukrainian counterattacks in Donetsk area over past day

Russian forces repelled two Ukrainian army counterattacks in the Donetsk area over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Russian forces repelled two counterattacks by formations of the Ukrainian army’s 31st and 67th mechanized brigades near the settlements of Novomikhailovka and Bogdanovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost more than 250 troops, two tanks, three armored combat vehicles and 16 motor vehicles in the Donetsk direction over the past 24 hours, it specified.

In counter-battery fire, Russian forces destroyed a US-made 155mm M109 Paladin self-propelled artillery system, a 152mm Akatsiya self-propelled artillery gun, three 152mm D-20 howitzers, a 122mm D-30 howitzer, a US-manufactured 105mm M119 artillery gun and a UK-made 105mm L118 field gun, and a Nota electronic warfare station, it said.

Kiev loses over 300 troops in Avdeyevka area in past day

The Ukrainian army lost more than 300 troops and a tank in battles with Russian forces in the Avdeyevka area over the past day, the ministry reported.

"In the Avdeyevka direction, Battlegroup Center units improved their forward edge positions in active operations, inflicted damage by firepower on enemy formations and repulsed 11 counterattacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian army’s 25th air assault, 68th infantry, 24th and 47th mechanized brigades near the settlements of Novgorodskoye, Tonenkoye, Pervomaiskoye, Leninskoye and Berdychi 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 more than 300 personnel, a tank, 2 armored combat vehicles, 4 motor vehicles, 2 Gvozdika motorized artillery systems and a D-30 howitzer, it said.

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 the personnel and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 58th motorized infantry and 1st tank brigades near the settlements of Urozhainoye and Makarovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. In addition, they repulsed a counterattack by an assault group of the 128th territorial defense brigade near the settlement of Nikolskoye 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 140 personnel, two tanks and four motor vehicles, it specified.

"In counter-battery fire, Russian forces destroyed a US-made 155mm M777 howitzer, a Polish-manufactured 155mm Krab self-propelled artillery system and a 152mm D-20 howitzer," 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 40 enemy troops over the past day, the ministry reported.

"In the Kherson direction, Dnepr Battlegroup units inflicted damage by firepower on formations of the Ukrainian army’s 141st infantry and 118th mechanized brigades near the settlements of Novoandreyevka and Rabotino in the Zaporozhye Region," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in the Kherson direction over the past 24 hours amounted to 40 personnel, two pickup trucks and a 152mm Akatsiya self-propelled artillery gun, it specified.

Russian troops wipe out Ukrainian air-launched munition depot over past day

Russian troops destroyed a Ukrainian air-launched munition depot and a drone production and maintenance workshop over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Operational-tactical aircraft, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groupings of forces destroyed an air-launched ammunition depot, a workshop for the production and maintenance of unmanned aerial vehicles and struck amassed Ukrainian manpower and military equipment in 152 areas, the ministry said.

Russian air defenses down 195 Ukrainian UAVs over past day

Russian air defense forces shot down 41 rockets of the US-made HIMARS and Czech-made Vampire multiple launch rocket systems and destroyed 195 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) over the past day, the ministry reported.

"During the last 24-hour period, air defense capabilities shot down 195 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles and 41 rockets of the HIMARS and Vampire multiple rocket launchers," the ministry said.