MOSCOW, May 17. /TASS/. Russian troops delivered 28 precision strikes against Ukrainian military sites, targeting enemy command posts and foreign mercenaries’ deployment sites over the week in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Friday.

"On May 11-17, the Russian Armed Forces delivered 28 combined strikes by precision weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles, hitting command posts, military airfield infrastructure facilities, air defense systems, arsenals and fuel depots of the Ukrainian army, workshops for the production and storage of naval drones and strike unmanned aerial vehicles. The strikes also targeted temporary deployment sites of nationalist formations and foreign mercenaries," the ministry said in a statement.

Russian troops liberate 12 settlements in Kharkov Region over week

Russian troops liberated 12 communities in the Kharkov Region over the week, the ministry reported.

"During the week, Battlegroup North units liberated 12 settlements in the Kharkov Region in active operations: Borisovka, Bugrovatka, Gatishche, Glubokoye, Krasnoye, Lukyantsy, Morokhovets, Ogurtsovo, Oleinikovo, Pletenevka, Pylnaya and Strelechya and continue advancing deep into the enemy defense," the ministry said.

Kiev loses six Vampire MLRS, over 1,000 troops near Kharkov in week

The Ukrainian army lost six Czech-made Vampire multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) and more than 1,000 troops in battles with Russian forces in the Kharkov area over the week, the ministry reported.

"The enemy’s losses amounted to 1,175 personnel, 10 tanks, 14 armored combat vehicles, 45 motor vehicles, 13 multiple launch rocket systems, among them six Czech-made Vampire MLRS, 26 field artillery guns and five Buk and Strela-10 surface-to-air missile launchers," the ministry said.

Over the week, Russia’s Battlegroup North units inflicted casualties on manpower and equipment of five Ukrainian army brigades, four territorial defense brigades and the 15th Ukrainian border guard squad in areas near the settlements of Vesyoloye, Volchansk, Dergachi, Neskuchnoye, Krasnoye and Liptsy in the Kharkov Region. They also repelled 21 counterattacks by Ukrainian assault groups in areas near the settlements of Glubokoye, Tikhoye and Staritsa in the Kharkov Region, it specified.

Russian troops advance to better positions in Kupyansk area over week

Russian troops advanced to better positions and inflicted casualties on 18 Ukrainian army brigades in the Kupyansk area over the week, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup West units kept taking more advantageous lines and inflicted casualties on formations of 18 enemy brigades in areas near the settlements of Artyomovka and Makeyevka in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Kislovka and Sinkovka in the Kharkov Region, Yampolovka, Krasny Liman and Torskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

Russian troops also repelled 37 counterattacks by assault groups of eight Ukrainian army brigades and two National Guard brigades in areas near the settlements of Chervonaya Dibrova, Novoyegorovka, Stelmakhovka and Nevskoye in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Berestovoye, Kislovka and Olshana in the Kharkov Region, it specified.

Ukrainian army loses 960 troops, two tanks in Kupyansk area over week

The Ukrainian army lost roughly 960 troops and two tanks in battles with Russian forces in the Kupyansk area over the week, the ministry reported.

"The enemy’s losses amounted to 960 personnel, two tanks, nine armored combat vehicles, 24 motor vehicles, four Grad and Verba multiple rocket launchers and 25 field artillery guns, among them five US-made weapons," the ministry said.

Russian troops also destroyed two field ammunition depots of the Ukrainian army, it said.

Russian troops repel nine Ukrainian counterattacks in Donetsk area over week

Russian troops kept advancing deep into the Ukrainian army’s defense and repelled nine enemy counterattacks over the week, the ministry reported.

"Southern Battlegroup units kept advancing deep into the enemy defense in active combat operations. They inflicted casualties on manpower and equipment of six assault, ten mechanized and seven territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Andreyevka, Antonovka, Georgiyevka, Grigorovka, Kleshcheyevka, Kurdyumovka, Paraskoviyevka and Novomikhailovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

Russian troops also repulsed nine counterattacks by Ukrainian assault groups near the settlements of Belogorovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Razdolovka, Krasnoye, Spornoye and Chasov Yar in the Donetsk People’s Republic, it specified.

Kiev loses 3,725 troops, eight tanks in Donetsk area over week

The Ukrainian army lost roughly 3,725 troops and eight tanks in battles with Russian forces in the Donetsk area over the week, the ministry reported.

"Over the week, the enemy lost as many as 3,725 personnel, eight tanks, among them five German-made Leopard 2A1 tanks, 13 armored combat vehicles, 55 motor vehicles, a Grad multiple rocket launcher and 47 field artillery guns, including 22 foreign-made weapons," the ministry said.

Russian troops also destroyed three Nota and Bukovel-AD electronic warfare stations, two US-made AN/TPQ-36 counterbattery radars and 16 field ammunition depots of the Ukrainian army, it specified.

Russian troops repulse 59 Ukrainian counterattacks in Avdeyevka area over week

Russian troops repulsed 59 Ukrainian army counterattacks and inflicted casualties on 14 enemy brigades in the Avdeyevka area over the week, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup Center units liberated the settlement of Keramik in the Donetsk People’s Republic as a result of successful operations, improved their forward edge positions and inflicted casualties on formations of 14 Ukrainian army brigades near the settlements of Novoaleksandrovka, Yevgenovka, Karlovka and Rozovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

Russian troops repulsed 59 counterattacks by enemy assault groups in areas near the settlements of Arkhangelskoye, Semyonovka, Ocheretino, Solovyovo, Novgorodskoye, Umanskoye, Netailovo and Berdychi in the Donetsk People’s Republic, it specified.

Ukrainian army loses almost 2,500 troops in Avdeyevka area over week

The Ukrainian army lost almost 2,500 troops and four tanks in battles with Russian forces in the Avdeyevka area over the week, the ministry reported.

"Over the week in that direction, the Ukrainian army lost as many as 2,475 personnel, four tanks, among them a US-made Abrams, 20 armored combat vehicles, 27 motor vehicles and a Croatian-made RAK-SA-12 multiple rocket launcher," the ministry said.

In counterbattery fire, Russian troops destroyed 23 field artillery guns of the Ukrainian army, including five Paladin self-propelled artillery systems and three M777 howitzers of US manufacture, it specified.

Ukrainian army loses 965 troops in south Donetsk area over week

The Ukrainian army lost roughly 965 troops, a tank and nine armored combat vehicles in battles with Russian forces in the south Donetsk area over the week, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup East units improved their tactical position and inflicted casualties on three Ukrainian army brigades and three territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Ugledar, Velikaya Novosyolka, Vodyanoye and Vladimirovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Chervonoye and Dorozhnyanka in the Zaporozhye Region. The enemy’s losses amounted to 965 personnel, a tank, nine armored combat vehicles, 28 motor vehicles, a Grad multiple rocket launcher and two Strela-10 air defense systems," the ministry said.

Russian troops also repulsed two counterattacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian army’s 123rd territorial defense brigade and 21st National Guard brigade near the settlements of Staromayorskoye and Urozhainoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic, it specified.

In counterbattery fire, Russian forces destroyed 20 field artillery guns of the Ukrainian army, among them four Polish-manufactured Krab self-propelled artillery systems and four US-made M777 howitzers, it said.

Russian troops strike nine Ukrainian army brigades in Kherson area over week

Russian troops inflicted casualties on nine Ukrainian army brigades in the Kherson area over the week, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup Dnepr units liberated the settlement of Rabotino in the Zaporozhye Region in active operations and inflicted casualties on manpower and equipment of two Ukrainian army brigades, the 35th marine infantry brigade, three territorial defense brigades and three National Guard brigades in areas near the settlements of Orekhov, Verbovoye, Nesteryanka and Malaya Tokmachka in the Zaporozhye Region, Nikopol and Kapulovka in the Dnepropetrovsk Region, Zolotaya Balka and Ivanovka in the Kherson Region," the ministry said.

Ukraine’s army loses 265 troops in Kherson area over week

The Ukrainian army lost roughly 265 troops in battles with Russian forces in the Kherson direction over the past week, the ministry reported.

"The enemy lost as many as 265 personnel, two armored combat vehicles, 15 motor vehicles, a Czech-made Vampire multiple rocket launcher, 35 field artillery guns, including 14 US-made M777 howitzers and a Buk self-propelled anti-aircraft missile system," the ministry said.

Russian troops destroy four Ukrainian Mi-24 helicopters over week

Russian troops destroyed four Ukrainian Mi-24 helicopters and 40 naval drones at a storage site over the week, the ministry reported.

"Over the week, missile troops, artillery and unmanned aerial vehicles of the [Russian] groups of forces destroyed four Mi-24 helicopters on a helipad and also 40 naval drones at a storage facility," the ministry said.

Russian troops strike Ukrainian army’s Patriot air defense systems over week

Russian missile troops, artillery and unmanned aerial vehicles struck a battalion of the Ukrainian army’s Patriot air defense systems, ammunition depots and aircraft at five airfields over the week, the ministry reported.

"In addition, the following targets were hit: a battalion of US-made Patriot surface-to-air missile systems at a firing position, ammunition and fuel depots and aircraft at five military airfields," the ministry said.

Russian forces destroy seven Ukrainian warplanes over week

Russian forces destroyed seven Ukrainian fighter jets over the week, the ministry reported.

"Over the week, aircraft and air defense systems shot down six MiG-29 planes and one Su-27 of the Ukrainian Air Force," the ministry said.

Russian air defenses destroy 329 Ukrainian UAVs over week

Russian air defense forces and combat aircraft shot down 329 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) over the week, the ministry reported.

"Over the week, aircraft and air defense systems shot down 31 US-made ATACMS tactical missiles and Tochka-U missiles, 31 French-made Hammer guided aerial bombs, 15 US-manufactured HARM anti-radar missiles, 199 HIMARS, Vampire, Grad and Olkha rockets and 329 unmanned aerial vehicles," the ministry said.

Russian forces down 123 Ukrainian UAVs over Crimea, Black Sea coast in past day

Russian forces shot down 123 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles over Crimea and the Black Sea coast in the past 24 hours, the ministry reported.

"In the past 24 hours alone, 123 Ukrainian aircraft-type UAVs were shot down over Crimea and the Black Sea coast of the Krasnodar Region," the ministry said.

Russia’s Black Sea Fleet destroys 25 Ukrainian naval drones over past day

Russia’s Black Sea Fleet destroyed 25 Ukrainian naval drones over the past day, the ministry reported.

"During the last 24-hour period, the Black Sea Fleet’s forces destroyed 25 Ukrainian seaborne drones in the Black Sea," the ministry said.

Sixty-three Ukrainian soldiers surrender to Russian troops over week

Sixty-three Ukrainian soldiers surrendered to Russian troops over the week, including 48 service members in the Kharkov area, the ministry reported.

"During the week, sixty-three Ukrainian service members surrendered at the engagement line, among them 48 soldiers within the area of operation of the Battlegroup North," the ministry said.

In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 601 Ukrainian warplanes, 274 helicopters, 24,234 unmanned aerial vehicles, 522 surface-to-air missile systems, 16,058 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,303 multiple rocket launchers, 9,635 field artillery guns and mortars and 21,763 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation, the ministry reported.