MOSCOW, May 22. /TASS/. Russian troops liberated the settlement of Kleshcheyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Wednesday.

"Southern Battlegroup units liberated the settlement of Kleshcheyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic as a result of active operations," the ministry said in a statement.

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

Russian troops repelled three Ukrainian army counterattacks in the Kharkov area over the past day, the ministry reported.

Russia’s Battlegroup North units "repulsed three counterattacks by enemy assault groups in areas near the settlements of Volchansk and Liptsy in the Kharkov Region," the ministry said.

Russian troops inflict 255 casualties on Ukrainian army in Kharkov area over past day

Russian troops moved deep into the enemy’s defenses and inflicted roughly 255 casualties on the Ukrainian army in the Kharkov area over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup North units moved deep into the enemy’s defenses as a result of active operations and inflicted damage on manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 3rd tank and 57th motorized infantry brigades in areas near the settlements of Volchanskiye Khutora, Bely Kolodez and Petropavlovka in the Kharkov Region. The Ukrainian army’s losses over the past 24 hours amounted to 255 personnel and seven motor vehicles," the ministry said.

In counterbattery fire, Russian troops destroyed a 122mm Grad multiple rocket launcher, a 152mm Akatsiya self-propelled artillery system, a US-made 155mm M777 howitzer, a US-made 105mm M119 artillery gun, a 100mm Rapira anti-tank gun and two US-manufactured AN/TPQ-50 counterbattery radar stations, it specified.

Ukrainian army loses 130 troops in Kupyansk area over past day

The Ukrainian army lost roughly 130 troops in battles with Russian forces in the Kupyansk area over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup West units improved their forward edge positions and inflicted casualties on formations of the Ukrainian army’s 66th mechanized and 106th territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Makeyevka in the Lugansk People’s Republic and Ivanovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. Near the settlement of Grigorovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, they repelled a counterattack by a Ukrainian assault group," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in the Kupyansk direction over the past 24 hours amounted to 130 personnel and two motor vehicles. In counterbattery fire, Russian forces destroyed a Polish-made 155mm Krab self-propelled artillery system, a UK-made 155mm FH70 towed howitzer and two US-manufactured 155mm M198 howitzers, it specified.

Ukrainian army loses over 365 troops in Donetsk area over past day

The Ukrainian army lost more than 365 troops in battles with Russian forces in the Donetsk area over the past day, the ministry reported.

Russia’s Southern Battlegroup units "inflicted damage on personnel and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 33rd mechanized, 79th air assault and 116th territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Georgiyevka, Ostroye and Konstantinovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in the Donetsk direction over the past 24 hours amounted to "more than 365 personnel, two armored combat vehicles, 18 motor vehicles, a 152mm D-20 howitzer, a 122mm D-30 howitzer, a US-made 105mm M119 artillery gun and a UK-made 105mm L119 artillery gun," it specified.

Russian forces improve frontline positions in Avdeyevka area over past day

Russian forces improved their frontline positions in the Avdeyevka area where the Ukrainian army lost roughly 420 troops over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup Center units improved their forward edge positions and inflicted damage on formations of the Ukrainian army’s 24th and 100th mechanized, 68th jaeger and 71st infantry brigades in areas near the settlements of Semyonovka, Sokol, Novgorodskoye and Karlovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. They repelled seven counterattacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian army’s 47th and 110th mechanized, 142nd and 143rd infantry brigades near the settlements of Arkhangelskoye, Netailovo, 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, three armored combat vehicles, among them German-made Marder IFVs, three motor vehicles, a 122mm D-30 howitzer and two US-made 105mm M119 artillery guns, it specified.

Russian troops take better positions in south Donetsk area over past day

Russian troops gained better ground and inflicted roughly 125 casualties on the Ukrainian army in the south Donetsk area over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup East units took more advantageous positions and inflicted damage on manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 58th motorized infantry and 128th territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Prechistovka, Velikaya Novosyolka and Neskuchnoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic. They repelled a counterattack by an assault group of the Ukrainian army’s 72nd mechanized brigade near the settlement of Vladimirovka 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 125 personnel, two armored combat vehicles, six motor vehicles, a Polish-made 155mm Krab self-propelled artillery system, a UK-made FH70 towed howitzer, a 152mm Akatsiya self-propelled artillery system and a 122mm Gvozdika motorized artillery system, 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 35th marine infantry, 65th mechanized and 126th territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Novoandreyevka in the Zaporozhye Region, Ivanovka and Tyaginka in the Kherson Region," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in the Kherson direction over the past 24 hours amounted to 35 personnel, seven motor vehicles, two US-made 155mm M777 howitzers, a 152mm Msta-B howitzer and a 152mm D-20 howitzer, it specified.

Russian troops wipe out two Ukrainian ammo depots over past day

Russian troops destroyed two Ukrainian ammunition depots over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Operational/tactical aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groups of forces destroyed two ammunition depots of the Ukrainian army and struck amassed enemy manpower and military hardware in 102 areas," the ministry said.

Russian air defenses down 34 Ukrainian UAVs, 2 smart bombs over past day

Russian air defense systems shot down 34 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), two smart bombs and a rocket over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Air defense capabilities shot down 34 unmanned aerial vehicles, two French-made Hammer guided aerial bombs and a rocket of the US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system," the ministry said.

In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 601 Ukrainian warplanes, 274 helicopters, 24,498 unmanned aerial vehicles, 523 surface-to-air missile systems, 16,121 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,307 multiple rocket launchers, 9,740 field artillery guns and mortars and 21,915 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation, the ministry reported.