MOSCOW, May 31. /TASS/. Russian troops delivered 25 strikes by precision weapons, including Kinzhal hypersonic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles against Ukrainian military sites over the week in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Friday.
"On May 25-31, the Russian Armed Forces delivered 25 combined strikes by precision weapons, including Kinzhal hypersonic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles, hitting command posts, military aerodrome infrastructure sites, air defense systems, arsenals, fuel depots and workshops for the production and storage of naval drones and strike unmanned aerial vehicles. In addition, the strikes targeted temporary deployment sites of Ukrainian army units, nationalist formations and foreign mercenaries," the ministry said in a statement.
Russia’s Battlegroup North repels 20 Ukrainian attacks in Kharkov area over week
Russia’s Battlegroup North inflicted casualties on seven Ukrainian army brigades and kept advancing deep into the enemy’s defenses in the Kharkov area over the week, the ministry reported.
"Battlegroup North units continued advancing deep into the enemy’s defenses in combat operations. During the week, they inflicted damage on manpower and equipment of five Ukrainian army brigades and two territorial defense brigades and repulsed 20 enemy counterattacks," the ministry said.
Kiev loses eight Grad, Vampire multiple rocket launchers in Kharkov area over week
The Ukrainian army lost eight Grad and Vampire multiple rocket launchers and 29 field artillery guns in battles with Russia’s Battlegroup North in the Kharkov area over the week, the ministry reported.
"The Ukrainian army’s weekly losses totaled as many as 1,740 personnel, 3 tanks, 9 armored combat vehicles, 28 motor vehicles, 8 Grad and Vampire multiple rocket launchers and 29 field artillery guns," the ministry said.
The Ukrainian army has been using Grad and Vampire multiple launch rocket systems in its bombardments of Russia’s borderline Belgorod Region. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin said earlier that the Russian army’s operations in the Kharkov Region were aimed at creating a buffer zone.
Russian troops liberate two communities in Kharkov area over week
Russian troops liberated two communities in the Kharkov Region over the week, the ministry reported.
"During the week, Battlegroup West units liberated the settlements of Berestovoye and Ivanovka in the Kharkov Region and kept advancing deep into the enemy’s defenses. They inflicted casualties on eight Ukrainian army formations and two National Guard brigades and repulsed 11 enemy counterattacks," the ministry said.
The enemy’s losses amounted to 2,310 personnel, 3 tanks, 10 armored combat vehicles, 35 motor vehicles, 2 122mm Bastion multiple rocket launchers and 30 field artillery guns, among them 14 Western-made weapons, it specified.
Ukrainian army loses 3,415 troops in Donetsk area over week
The Ukrainian army lost roughly 3,415 troops and 19 ammunition depots in battles with Russian forces in the Donetsk area over the week, the ministry reported.
"During the week, Southern Battlegroup units improved their forward edge positions and inflicted casualties on manpower and equipment of 12 Ukrainian army formations in areas near the settlements of Seversk, Ostroye, Krasnogorovka, Yelizavetovka, Novy, Konstantinovka, Razdolovka and Chasov Yar in the Donetsk People’s Republic. They repulsed two counterattacks by units of a Ukrainian assault brigade and a territorial defense brigade. The enemy lost as many as 3,415 personnel, four tanks, eight armored combat vehicles, 30 motor vehicles and 25 field artillery guns, among them 11 foreign-made weapons," the ministry said.
Russian forces also destroyed 19 field ammunition depots of the Ukrainian army in the Donetsk direction over the week, it specified.
Russian troops liberate two communities in Donetsk area over week
Russian troops liberated two communities in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and kept advancing deep into the Ukrainian army’s defenses over the week, the ministry reported.
"During the week, Battlegroup Center units continued moving deep into the enemy’s defenses, liberating the settlements of Arkhangelskoye and Netailovo in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.
Russia’s Battlegroup Center repels 31 Ukrainian counterattacks over week
Russia’s Battlegroup Center repelled 31 Ukrainian army counterattacks over the week, the ministry reported.
Russia’s Battlegroup Center units "inflicted damage on nine Ukrainian army and National Guard formations in areas near the settlements of Yasnobrodovka, Konstantinovka, Yevgenovka, Sokol, Rozovka, Semyonovka, Novgorodskoye and Selidovo in the Donetsk People’s Republic. They repelled 31 counterattacks by enemy assault units," the ministry said.
The Ukrainian army’s losses in that direction over the week amounted to 2,515 personnel, a tank, 15 armored combat vehicles, among them three US-made Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, 19 motor vehicles, three Grad multiple rocket launchers and 51 field artillery guns, it specified.
Russian troops improve tactical position in south Donetsk area over week
Russian troops improved their tactical position in the south Donetsk area over the week, the ministry reported.
"Battlegroup East units improved their tactical position and inflicted damage on manpower and equipment of two Ukrainian army brigades, two territorial defense formations and a National Guard brigade. In addition, they repelled four counterattacks by formations of the Ukrainian army’s 72nd mechanized brigade," the ministry said.
The Ukrainian army’s losses in the south Donetsk direction over the week amounted to 920 personnel, a tank, two armored combat vehicles, 33 motor vehicles, a Grad multiple rocket launcher and 18 field artillery guns, among them five Western-made weapons, it specified.
Russian troops strike seven Ukrainian brigades in Kherson area over week
Russian troops inflicted casualties on seven Ukrainian army brigades in the Kherson area over the week, the ministry reported.
"Over the week, Battlegroup Dnepr units inflicted damage on manpower and equipment of two Ukrainian marine infantry brigades, three army formations, a territorial defense brigade and a National Guard brigade," the ministry said.
Ukrainian army loses 325 troops in Kherson area over week
The Ukrainian army lost roughly 325 troops and 17 field artillery guns in battles with Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr in the Kherson area over the week, the ministry reported.
"The enemy lost as many as 325 personnel, 3 armored combat vehicles, 24 motor vehicles and 17 field artillery guns, among them 3 US-made M777 howitzers," the ministry said.
Russian aircraft, air defenses destroy four Ukrainian warplanes, 312 UAVs over week
Russian combat aircraft and air defense forces shot down two Ukrainian MiG-29 and two Su-27 fighter jets, 17 Hammer smart bombs, 14 ATACMS missiles and 312 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) over the week, the ministry reported.
"Aircraft and air defense capabilities shot down two MiG-29 and two Su-27 planes of the Ukrainian Air Force, 14 US-made ATACMS tactical missiles, 17 French-made Hammer guided aerial bombs, six US-made HARM anti-radar missiles, six Neptune anti-ship missiles, 58 US-made HIMARS, Czech-made Vampire rockets and Olkha rockets and 312 unmanned aerial vehicles," the ministry said.
Forty-five Ukrainian soldiers surrender to Russian troops over week
Forty-five Ukrainian soldiers surrendered to Russian troops over the week, the ministry reported.
"During the week, forty-five Ukrainian service members surrendered," the ministry said.
In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 607 Ukrainian warplanes, 274 helicopters, 24,902 unmanned aerial vehicles, 524 surface-to-air missile systems, 16,208 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,325 multiple rocket launchers, 9,972 field artillery guns and mortars and 22,135 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation, the ministry reported.