MOSCOW, August 20. /TASS/. Russia’s Battlegroup Center crushed a powerful Ukrainian army grouping and liberated the settlement of Novgorodskoye (called Niu York by Ukraine), a major community in the Toretsk agglomeration and a vital logistics hub in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), the Russian Defense Ministry reported on Tuesday.

"As a result of active operations, Battlegroup Center units crushed a large enemy group of troops and liberated Novgorodskoye, a major community in the Toretsk agglomeration and a strategically important logistics hub in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said in a statement.

Russia’s Battlegroup North inflicts 105 casualties on Ukrainian army over past day

Russia’s Battlegroup North inflicted roughly 105 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed an enemy tank and a multiple rocket launcher in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup North units inflicted damage in the Volchansk and Liptsy areas on manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 22nd mechanized, 82nd air assault and 17th tank brigades in areas near the settlements of Zolochev in the Kharkov Region, Mogritsa and Lugovka in the Sumy Region," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in that frontline area over the past 24 hours amounted to 105 personnel, a tank, six motor vehicles, a US-made 155mm M777 howitzer, a 152mm D-20 howitzer, a 122mm 2S1 Gvozdika motorized artillery system, a 122mm D-30 howitzer and a Grad multiple rocket launcher, it specified.

Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicts over 450 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day

Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicted more than 450 casualties on Ukrainian troops in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup West units gained more advantageous positions and inflicted casualties on formations of the Ukrainian army’s 115th and 116th mechanized and 3rd assault brigades in areas near the settlements of Kopanki in the Kharkov Region, Chervonaya Dibrova in the Lugansk People’s Republic and Novosadovoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in that frontline area over the past 24 hours amounted to more than 450 personnel, 11 motor vehicles, two US-made 155mm M198 howitzers, a US-made 155mm M777 howitzer, a British-made 155mm FH70 howitzer, a 122mm D-30 howitzer and a US-manufactured 105mm M119 artillery gun, it specified.

Russia’s Battlegroup South inflicts over 680 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day

Russia’s Battlegroup South inflicted more than 680 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed four enemy ammunition depots in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup South units improved their forward edge positions and inflicted losses on manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 23rd mechanized, 79th air assault and 81st airmobile brigades in areas near the settlements of Katerinovka, Konstantinovka and Serebryanka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. They repelled two counterattacks by Ukrainian army units," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in that frontline area over the past 24 hours amounted to more than 680 personnel, four motor vehicles, two US-made 155mm M777 howitzers, a US-made 155mm M198 howitzer, a 152mm Msta-B howitzer, a 152mm 2S3 Akatsiya self-propelled artillery system, a 122mm 2S1 Gvozdika motorized artillery system, a 122mm D-30 howitzer, two 152mm D-20 howitzers, a 122mm Grad multiple rocket launcher, a Croatian-made RAK-SA-12 multiple rocket launcher and a US-made 105mm M119 artillery gun, it specified.

In addition, Russian forces destroyed four field ammunition depots of the Ukrainian army, it said.

Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicts over 585 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day

Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicted more than 585 casualties on Ukrainian troops in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

Battlegroup Center units "inflicted casualties on formations of the Ukrainian army’s 25th airborne, 100th mechanized and 120th territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Toretsk [the Ukrainian name of Dzershinsk] and Kalinovo in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in that frontline area over the past 24 hours amounted to more than 585 personnel, three tanks, two motor vehicles, a US-made 155mm M777 howitzer, two 152mm D-20 howitzers and three 122mm D-30 howitzers, it specified.

Russia’s Battlegroup East gains better ground over past day

Russia’s Battlegroup East gained better ground and inflicted casualties on two Ukrainian army brigades in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup East units gained more advantageous lines and inflicted losses on manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 58th mechanized and 104th territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Prechistovka and Shakhtyorskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

Russia’s Battlegroup East inflicts 110 casualties on Ukrainian army over past day

Russia’s Battlegroup East inflicted roughly 110 casualties on Ukrainian troops in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

"The Ukrainian army lost as many as 110 personnel, a tank, three motor vehicles, a Polish-made 155mm Krab self-propelled artillery system and a French-made 155mm Caesar howitzer," the ministry said.

Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr inflicts 75 casualties on Ukrainian army over past day

Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr inflicted roughly 75 casualties on Ukrainian troops in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup Dnepr units inflicted losses on manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 31st and 118th mechanized brigades in areas near the settlements of Novodanilovka and Pyatikhatki in the Zaporozhye Region. The Ukrainian army’s losses amounted to 75 personnel and a 152mm D-20 artillery gun," the ministry said.

Russian forces strike Ukrainian manpower, equipment in over 130 areas in past day

Russian forces struck Ukrainian manpower and military hardware in more than 130 areas over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Operational/tactical aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groups of forces struck massed enemy manpower and military equipment in 133 locations," the ministry said.

Russian air defenses destroy 31 Ukrainian UAVs, 10 HIMARS rockets over past day

Russian air defense forces shot down 31 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), a Hammer smart bomb and 10 HIMARS rockets over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Air defense capabilities shot down a French-made Hammer guided aerial bomb, 10 US-made HIMARS rockets and 31 unmanned aerial vehicles, including five UAVs outside the area of the special military operation," the ministry said.

Overall, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 639 Ukrainian warplanes, 282 helicopters, 30,192 unmanned aerial vehicles, 575 surface-to-air missile systems, 17,345 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,415 multiple rocket launchers, 13,444 field artillery guns and mortars and 24,945 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation, the ministry reported.