MOSCOW, July 1. /TASS/. Russian troops liberated the settlements of Stepovaya Novosyolovka in the Kharkov Region and Novopokrovskoye 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 settlement of Stepovaya Novosyolovka in the Kharkov Region as a result of successful operations and gained better positions… Battlegroup Center units liberated the settlement of Novopokrovskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic and improved their tactical position," the ministry said in a statement.

Russian troops repel two Ukrainian attacks in Kharkov area over past day

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

The Ukrainian military committed formations of the Special Operations Center East and an air assault brigade to the Kharkov Region and Russia’s Battlegroup North repelled their attacks, it specified.

"Battlegroup North units inflicted casualties on manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 41st mechanized, 57th motorized infantry, 34th marine infantry, 113th and 125th territorial defense and 13th National Guard brigades in areas near the settlements of Volchansk, Tikhoye, Goptovka, Neskuchnoye, Zhovtnevoye and Liptsy in the Kharkov Region. They repelled two attacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian army’s Special Operations Center East and 92nd air assault brigade," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in the Kharkov direction over the past 24 hours amounted to 320 personnel, an armored personnel carrier, seven motor vehicles, two US-made 155mm M777 howitzers, a 152mm D-20 howitzer and a 122mm D-30 howitzer. In addition, Russian troops destroyed a field ammunition depot of the Ukrainian army and three US-and Israeli-made counterbattery radar stations, the ministry said.

Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicts 475 casualties on Ukrainian army over past day

Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicted roughly 475 casualties on the Ukrainian army and destroyed a US-made armored personnel carrier in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup West units inflicted casualties on formations of the Ukrainian army’s 21st, 44th, 60th and 66th mechanized and 125th territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Makeyevka, Novovodyanoye, Nevskoye and Stelmakhovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic and Terny in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The Ukrainian army’s losses amounted to 475 personnel, a US-made M113 armored personnel carrier and four pickup trucks," the ministry said.

In counterbattery fire, Russian troops destroyed a Grad multiple rocket launcher, two US-made 155mm M777 howitzers, a 152mm Msta-B howitzer, a 122mm Gvozdika motorized artillery system, a 122mm D-30 howitzer and five field ammunition depots of the Ukrainian army, it specified.

Russia’s Southern Battlegroup inflicts 620 casualties on Ukrainian army over past day

Russia’s Southern Battlegroup inflicted roughly 620 casualties on the Ukrainian army and destroyed four enemy armored vehicles in its area of responsibility 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 23rd and 93rd mechanized, 56th motorized infantry, 5th assault, 80th air assault, 109th, 114th and 119th territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Grigorovka, Chasov Yar, Konstantinovka, Krasnogorovka and Spornoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic. They repelled an attack by an assault group of the Ukrainian army’s 10th mountain assault brigade," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in that frontline area over the past 24 hours amounted to 620 personnel, four armored combat vehicles, among them two US-made M113 armored personnel carriers and 12 motor vehicles, it specified.

In counterbattery fire, Russian troops destroyed a Polish-made 155mm Krab self-propelled artillery system, a US-made 155mm M198 howitzer, a 152mm Msta-B howitzer, two 152mm D-20 howitzers, two 122mm D-30 howitzers, a US-manufactured 105mm M119 artillery gun and three Anklav-N electronic warfare stations, it specified.

Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicts 405 casualties on Ukrainian army over past day

Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicted roughly 405 casualties on the Ukrainian army and destroyed a US-made Bradley combat vehicle in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup Center units … inflicted casualties on formations of the Ukrainian army’s 24th, 31st, 110th and 118th mechanized, 68th jaeger and 109th territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Yevgenovka, Novgorodskoye, Timofeyevka, Sokol, Toretsk and Progress in the Donetsk People’s Republic. They repulsed five counterattacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian army’s 142nd infantry, 95th air assault, 23rd, 41st and 47th mechanized brigades," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in that frontline area over the past 24 hours amounted to 405 personnel and a US-made Bradley infantry fighting vehicle. In addition, Russian forces destroyed a US-made MaxxPro armored vehicle, seven motor vehicles, a US-made 155mm M777 howitzer, a 152mm Msta-B howitzer and two 122mm D-30 howitzers, it specified.

Russia’s Battlegroup East gains better positions over past day

Russia’s Battlegroup East gained better positions and inflicted roughly 120 casualties on the Ukrainian army over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup East units gained more advantageous positions and inflicted casualties on manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 33rd mechanize, 82nd air assault and 123rd territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Urozhainoye and Nikolskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic. They repulsed a counterattack by an assault group of the Ukrainian army’s 58th motorized infantry brigade. The enemy lost as many as 120 personnel," the ministry said.

In addition, Russian troops destroyed seven motor vehicles and two UK-made 155mm FH70 howitzers of the Ukrainian army over the past day, it specified.

Russian troops strike three Ukrainian 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.

"Dnepr Battlegroup units inflicted casualties on manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 65th mechanized, 35th marine infantry and 126th territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Rabotino and Novopokrovka in the Zaporozhye Region and Tokarevka in the Kherson Region," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in the Kherson direction over the past 24 hours amounted to 85 personnel, four motor vehicles, a US-made 155mm M777 howitzer, a 152mm D-20 howitzer, an Anklav-N electronic warfare station and a US-manufactured AN/TPQ-36 counterbattery radar station, it specified.

Russian troops wipe out Ukrainian aircraft at military airfield over past day

Russian troops destroyed Ukrainian Air Force aircraft at a military airfield and an armament repair center over the past day, the ministry reported.

"During the last 24-hour period, operational/tactical aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groups of forces destroyed Ukrainian Air Force aircraft in an open parking area and military airfield infrastructure, a Ukrainian armament and equipment repair/recovery center and naval drone storage/preparation sites and struck massed enemy manpower in 124 locations," the ministry said.

Russian air defenses destroy 72 Ukrainian UAVs, 8 Storm Shadow missiles over past day

Russian air defense forces shot down 72 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), eight Storm Shadow cruise missiles and five Hammer smart bombs over the past day, the ministry reported.

"During the last 24-hour period, air defense capabilities shot down eight UK-made Storm Shadow cruise missiles, five French-made Hammer guided aerial bombs, five US-made HIMARS and Czech-made Vampire rockets and 72 unmanned aerial vehicles," the ministry said.

Russian troops destroy over 27,000 UAVs in Ukraine operation

Russian troops have destroyed more than 27,000 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) since the start of the special military operation in Ukraine, the ministry reported.

"In all, the following targets have been destroyed since the start of the special military operation: 616 aircraft, 276 helicopters, 27,040 unmanned aerial vehicles, 535 surface-to-air missile systems, 16,471 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,362 multiple rocket launchers, 11,185 field artillery guns and mortars and 23,201 special military motor vehicles," the ministry said.