MOSCOW, May 6. /TASS/. Russian troops liberated the communities of Kotlyarovka in the Kharkov Region and Solovyovo in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Monday.

"Battlegroup West units liberated the community of Kotlyarovka in the Kharkov Region in active operations… Battlegroup Center units liberated the community of Solovyovo in the Donetsk People’s Republic as a result of successful operations," the ministry said in a statement.

Russian troops improve frontline positions in Kupyansk area over past day

Russian troops improved their frontline positions and repulsed three Ukrainian army counterattacks in the Kupyansk area over the past day, the ministry reported.

Russia’s Battlegroup West units "improved their forward edge positions and inflicted casualties on personnel and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 14th, 44th and 66th mechanized brigades and 119th territorial defense brigade in areas near the settlements of Kupyansk in the Kharkov Region, Stelmakhovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic and Novosadovoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

Over the past 24 hours, Russian troops repulsed three counterattacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian army’s 54th mechanized and 77th airmobile brigades in areas near the settlements of Sinkovka and Krakhmalnoye in the Kharkov Region and Stelmakhovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic, it specified.

"The enemy lost as many as 120 personnel, two tanks, including a German-made Leopard, two US-manufactured 155mm M777 howitzers, a 152mm Msta-B howitzer and three 122mm Gvozdika motorized artillery systems," the ministry said.

Russian troops advance to better positions in Donetsk area over past day

Russian troops gained advantageous sites and inflicted casualties on six Ukrainian army brigades in the Donetsk area over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Southern Battlegroup units gained more advantageous positions and inflicted damage by firepower on formations of the Ukrainian army’s 59th motorized infantry, 22nd mechanized, 79th air assault, 46th and 81st airmobile and 4th National Guard brigades in areas near the settlements of Andreyevka, Belogorovka, Kurakhovo, Kurdyumovka, Ostroye, Konstantinovka and Spornoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The enemy lost as many as 275 personnel, an armored personnel carrier and six motor vehicles," the ministry said.

In counterbattery fire, Russian troops destroyed a US-made 155mm M109 Paladin self-propelled artillery system, three US-manufactured 155mm M777 howitzers, a US-made 105mm M119 artillery gun, two Polish-manufactured 155mm Krab self-propelled artillery systems, a 122mm D-30 howitzer, three Anklav and Bukovel-AD electronic warfare stations and a US-manufactured AN/TPQ-50 counterbattery radar station, it specified.

Russian troops repulse seven Ukrainian counterattacks in Avdeyevka area over past day

Russian troops repulsed seven Ukrainian army counterattacks in the Avdeyevka area over the past day, the ministry reported.

Russia’s Battlegroup Center units "repulsed seven counterattacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian army’s 68th jaeger, 142nd and 143rd infantry, 59th motorized infantry, 24th and 47th mechanized brigades in areas near the settlements of Novokalinovo, Ocheretino, Netailovo and Berdychi," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost "as many as 370 personnel, an armored combat vehicle, 20 motor vehicles and a 122mm D-30 howitzer" in the Avdeyevka direction over the past 24 hours, it said.

Ukraine’s army loses 160 troops in south Donetsk area over past day

The Ukrainian army lost roughly 160 troops in the south Donetsk area over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup East units gained more advantageous positions and inflicted casualties on formations of the Ukrainian army’s 58th motorized infantry and 72nd mechanized brigades in areas near the settlements of Vodyanoye, Makarovka and Prechistovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. In addition, they repulsed an enemy counterattack near the settlement of Urozhainoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost about 160 personnel, two tanks, three motor vehicles, a US-made 155mm M198 howitzer and three 122mm D-30 howitzers in the south Donetsk direction over the past 24 hours, it specified.

Russian forces eliminate 40 Ukrainian troops in Kherson area over past day

Russian forces eliminated roughly 40 Ukrainian troops, six howitzers and an electronic warfare station in the Kherson area over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup Dnepr units inflicted damage by firepower on amassed personnel and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 141st infantry, 65th mechanized and 35th marine infantry brigades in areas near the settlements of Stepnoye and Rabotino in the Zaporozhye Region and Tokarevka in the Kherson Region," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost as many as 40 personnel, four US-made 155mm M777 howitzers, a 152mm D-20 howitzer, a 122mm D-30 howitzer and a Nota electronic warfare station in the Kherson direction over the past 24 hours, it specified.

Russian forces wipe out two Ukrainian strike drone production sites over past day

Russian forces destroyed two Ukrainian enterprises producing strike drones over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Operational/tactical aircraft, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groups of forces destroyed two enterprises engaged in the production of attack drones and struck enemy manpower and military hardware in 122 areas," the ministry said.

Russian air defenses down Ukrainian Su-27 warplane, 23 UAVs over past day

Russian air defense forces shot down a Ukrainian Su-27 fighter jet, 23 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and 7 rockets of the US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Air defense capabilities shot down a Ukrainian Air Force Su-27 plane. In addition, they destroyed 23 unmanned aerial vehicles and 7 rockets of the US-manufactured HIMARS multiple launch rocket system," the ministry said.

Black Sea Fleet destroys five Ukrainian naval drones northwest of Crimea

The Black Sea Fleet destroyed five Ukrainian naval drones off the northwestern coast of Crimea, the ministry reported.

"The Black Sea Fleet’s forces destroyed five Ukrainian naval drones near the northwestern coast of the Crimean Peninsula," the ministry said.

In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 594 Ukrainian warplanes, 270 helicopters, 23,785 unmanned aerial vehicles, 512 surface-to-air missile systems, 15,923 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,279 multiple rocket launchers, 9,339 field artillery guns and mortars and 21,508 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation, the ministry reported.