MOSCOW, April 8. /TASS/. The Ukrainian army lost more than 460 troops and two tanks in battles with Russian forces in the Donetsk area over the past day, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Monday, giving the latest data on the special military operation in Ukraine.

In the Donetsk direction, Russia’s Southern Battlegroup units took more advantageous positions and inflicted casualties on personnel and military hardware of the Ukrainian army’s 67th and 93rd mechanized brigades near the settlements of Kleshcheyevka and Krasnoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the ministry specified.

"The Ukrainian army lost more than 460 troops, 2 tanks, 2 infantry fighting vehicles, 8 motor vehicles, a US-made 155mm M777 howitzer, a Polish-manufactured 155mm Krab self-propelled artillery system, a 152mm Akatsiya self-propelled artillery gun, a 122mm Gvozdika motorized artillery system and two US-made AN/TPQ-36 counter-battery radar stations," the ministry said in a statement.

Russian forces destroy 25 Ukrainian troops in Kupyansk area over past day

Russian forces destroyed roughly 25 Ukrainian troops and 10 pieces of military equipment in the Kupyansk area over the past day, the ministry reported.

"In the Kupyansk direction, Western Battlegroup units inflicted damage by firepower in their active operations on formations of the Ukrainian army’s 32nd mechanized and 95th air assault brigades in areas near the settlements of Sinkovka in the Kharkov Region and Terny in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in the Kupyansk direction over the past 24 hours amounted to 25 personnel, two armored combat vehicles, two motor vehicles, a 152mm Akatsiya self-propelled artillery gun, a 152mm Msta-B howitzer, three D-20 howitzers and a US-manufactured AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery radar station, it specified.

Russian forces improve frontline positions in Avdeyevka area over past day

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

"In the Avdeyevka direction, Battlegroup Center units improved their forward edge positions and repulsed five counterattacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian army’s 24th, 47th, 74th and 115th mechanized brigades and 68th jaeger brigade near the settlements of Novgorodskoye, Novokalinovo and Berdychi in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The enemy lost as many as 325 personnel, six armored combat vehicles, five motor vehicles, a US-made 155mm M777 howitzer and a 122mm Gvozdika motorized artillery system," the ministry said.

Russian forces improve frontline positions in south Donetsk area over past day

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

"In the south Donetsk direction, Battlegroup East units improved their forward edge positions and inflicted damage by firepower on formations of the Ukrainian army’s 58th mechanized brigade and 128th territorial defense brigade near the settlements of Urozhainoye and Staromayorskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost as many as 80 personnel, a tank, three motor vehicles, a US-made 155mm M109 Paladin self-propelled artillery system and a UK-made 155mm FH70 howitzer in the south Donetsk direction over the past 24 hours, it specified.

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 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 65th mechanized and 128th mountain assault brigades near the settlements of Rabotino, Stepovoye and Pavlovka in the Zaporozhye Region," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in the Kherson direction over the past 24 hours amounted to 50 personnel, three tanks, four motor vehicles, a 155mm M109 Paladin self-propelled artillery system and two 155mm M119 howitzers of US manufacture and a 122mm D-30 howitzer, it specified.

Russian forces hammer Ukrainian troops in 117 areas over past day

Russian forces inflicted casualties on Ukrainian army units and military hardware in 117 areas over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Operational-tactical aircraft, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groupings of forces struck the Ukrainian army’s manpower and military equipment in 117 areas," it said.

Russian air defenses destroy 291 Ukrainian UAVs over past day

Russian air defense forces shot down 291 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Air defense capabilities shot down 291 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, 3 French-made Hammer guided aerial bombs and 4 rockets of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system," the ministry said.

In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 583 Ukrainian warplanes, 270 helicopters, 19,681 unmanned aerial vehicles, 499 surface-to-air missile systems, 15,725 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,266 multiple rocket launchers, 8,732 field artillery guns and mortars and 20,762 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation, the ministry reported.