MOSCOW, May 21. /TASS/. Russian forces struck Ukrainian manpower and military hardware in 95 areas over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Tuesday.

"Operational/tactical aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groups of forces struck amassed manpower and military equipment of the Ukrainian army in 95 areas," the ministry said in a statement.

Russian troops repel three Ukrainian counterattacks in Kharkov area over past day

Russian troops kept advancing deep into the enemy’s defenses and repelled three Ukrainian army counterattacks in the Kharkov area over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup North units continued advancing deep into the enemy defenses. They inflicted damage on manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 125th mechanized, 112th and 113th territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Konstantinovka, Okhrimovka and Granov in the Kharkov Region. They repelled three counterattacks by enemy assault groups near the settlements of Volchansk and Staritsa in the Kharkov Region," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in the Kharkov direction over the past 24 hours amounted to 245 personnel, two tanks, two armored combat vehicles, two pickup trucks, three 152mm 2S3 Akatsiya self-propelled artillery systems, a 152mm D-20 howitzer and a US-manufactured AN/TPQ-50 counterbattery radar station, it specified.

Kiev loses 425 troops, tank in Kupyansk area over past day

The Ukrainian army lost roughly 425 troops, a tank and two armored personnel carriers in battles with Russian forces in the Kupyansk area over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup West units took more advantageous positions and inflicted casualties on formations of the Ukrainian army’s 14th, 21st and 66th mechanized brigades in areas near the settlements of Novosadovoye and Ivanovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Nevskoye in the Lugansk People’s Republic. Over the past 24 hours, they repelled six counterattacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian army near the settlements of Stelmakhovka and Chervonaya Dibrova in the Lugansk People’s Republic and Grigorovka 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 425 personnel, a tank, two armored personnel carriers, six motor vehicles, a 122mm D-30 howitzer and a 122mm 2S1 Gvozdika motorized artillery system, it specified.

Russian troops also destroyed two US-made AN/TPQ-37 counterbattery radar stations of the Ukrainian army, it said.

Kiev loses over 320 troops, ammo depot in Donetsk area over day

The Ukrainian army lost more than 320 troops and an ammunition depot in battles with Russian forces in the Donetsk area over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Southern Battlegroup units improved their forward edge positions and inflicted casualties on manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 57th mechanized, 105th and 118th territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Konstantinovka, Razdolovka and Chasov Yar in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The enemy lost more than 320 personnel, a tank, two infantry fighting vehicles and two US-made 155mm M777 howitzers. An ammunition depot of the Ukrainian army was destroyed," the ministry said.

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

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

"Battlegroup Center units improved their tactical position and inflicted damage on formations of the Ukrainian army’s 68th jaeger and 24th mechanized brigades in areas near the settlements of Semyonovka and Novgorodskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic. They repulsed seven counterattacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian army’s 71st jaeger, 47th and 110th mechanized brigades near the settlements of Ocheretino, Solovyovo and Umanskoye 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 420 personnel, five armored combat vehicles, among them four US-made Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, six motor vehicles, a 152mm Msta-B howitzer, a 122mm Gvozdika motorized artillery system and a 122mm D-30 howitzer, it specified.

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

Russian troops advanced to better positions and repulsed a Ukrainian army counterattack in the south Donetsk area over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup East units gained more advantageous sites and inflicted damage on manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 128th territorial defense brigade in areas near the settlements of Velikaya Novosyolka and Makarovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. They repulsed an enemy counterattack near the settlement of 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 145 personnel, two infantry fighting vehicles, eight motor vehicles, a 155mm M198 howitzer and a 155mm M777 howitzer of US manufacture and a 122mm D-30 howitzer, it specified.

Russian troops strike three Ukrainian army brigades in Kherson area over past day

Russian troops inflicted casualties on three Ukrainian army brigades in the Kherson area over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup Dnepr units inflicted damage on manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 37th marine infantry, 65th mechanized and 15th National Guard brigades in areas near the settlements of Vesyoloye in the Kherson Region, Rabotino and Malaya Tokmachka in the Zaporozhye Region," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in the Kherson direction over the past 24 hours amounted to 105 personnel, seven motor vehicles, two US-made 155mm M777 howitzers, a 152mm 2A36 Giatsint-B howitzer and a 122mm BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launcher, it specified.

Russian air defenses down 45 Ukrainian UAVs, two ATACMS missiles over past day

Russian air defense forces shot down 45 Ukrainian UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), two ATACMS, eight SCALP-EG and four HARM missiles over the past day, the ministry reported.

"During the last 24-hour period, air defense capabilities shot down 45 unmanned aerial vehicles, two US-made ATACMS tactical missiles, eight French-made SCALP-EG cruise missiles, five French-made Hammer guided aerial bombs, four US-manufactured HARM anti-radar missiles and eight US-made HIMARS rockets and Olkha rockets," the ministry said.

In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 601 Ukrainian warplanes, 274 helicopters, 24,464 unmanned aerial vehicles, 523 surface-to-air missile systems, 16,114 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,306 multiple rocket launchers, 9,717 field artillery guns and mortars and 21,872 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation, the ministry reported.