MOSCOW, August 29. /TASS/. Russian troops liberated two communities in the Donbass region over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Thursday.

"Battlegroup West units have liberated the settlement of Stelmakhovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic as a result of decisive operations. Battlegroup Center units have liberated the settlement of Nikolayevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic in active operations and continue pushing deeper into the enemy’s defenses," the ministry said in a statement.

Russia’s Battlegroup North inflicts 185 casualties on Ukrainian army over past day

Russia’s Battlegroup North repelled two Ukrainian counterattacks and inflicted roughly 185 casualties on enemy troops in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup North units inflicted losses in the Volchansk, Bryansk and Liptsy directions on formations of the Ukrainian army’s 22nd mechanized, 36th marine infantry and 118th territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Pustogorod in the Sumy Region, Volchansk and Liptsy in the Kharkov Region. They repelled two counterattacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian army’s 22nd mechanized brigade," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in that frontline area over the past 24 hours amounted to 185 personnel, three motor vehicles, a 152mm D-20 howitzer, a 122mm Gvozdika motorized artillery system and a 122mm D-30 howitzer, it specified.

Russia’s Battlegroup West repels six Ukrainian counterattacks over past day

Russia’s Battlegroup West repelled six Ukrainian counterattacks and inflicted roughly 520 casualties on enemy troops in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

Battlegroup West units "inflicted losses on manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 14th mechanized and 4th tank brigades in areas near the settlements of Petropavlovka and Kupyansk in the Kharkov Region, Torskoye and Serebryanka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. They repelled six counterattacks by units of the 1st National Guard brigade, 110th and 117th territorial defense brigades and 12th Azov special operations brigade [outlawed in Russia as a terrorist organization]," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in that frontline area over the past 24 hours amounted to 520 personnel, six motor vehicles, a US-made 155mm M198 howitzer, a 152mm Msta-B howitzer, two 122mm D-30 howitzers and two Anklav-N and Kvertus electronic warfare stations, it specified.

In addition, Russian forces destroyed three ammunition depots of the Ukrainian army, the ministry said.

Russia’s Battlegroup South gains better ground over past day

Russia’s Battlegroup South gained better ground, struck five Ukrainian army brigades and inflicted roughly 740 casualties on enemy troops in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup South units gained more advantageous lines and inflicted damage on manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 24th, 54th and 93rd mechanized, 56th motorized infantry and 4th tank brigades in areas near the settlements of Chasov Yar, Krasnogorovka, Karpovka, Stupochki and Konstantinovka 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 740 personnel, a US-made M113 armored personnel carrier, two motor vehicles, a British-made 155mm FH70 howitzer, a 152mm D-20 howitzer, four 122mm D-30 howitzers, two US-made 105mm M119 artillery guns and three electronic warfare stations, it specified.

Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicts 530 casualties on Ukrainian army over past day

Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicted roughly 530 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 44th and 53rd mechanized, 95th air assault and 15th National Guard brigades in areas near the settlements of Rozovka, Grodovka, Karlovka and Mikhailovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. They repulsed seven counterattacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian army’s 32nd and 100th mechanized, 68th jaeger, 25th airborne and 15th National Guard brigades," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in that frontline area over the past 24 hours amounted to 530 personnel, a US-made M113 armored personnel carrier, six motor vehicles, two 152mm D-20 howitzers, a 122mm D-30 howitzer and a 100mm Rapira anti-tank gun, it specified.

Russia’s Battlegroup East repulses three Ukrainian counterattacks over past day

Russia’s Battlegroup East improved its tactical position and repulsed three Ukrainian counterattacks in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup East units improved their tactical position 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 Velikaya Novosyolka and Novoukrainka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. They repulsed three counterattacks by Ukrainian army formations," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in that frontline area over the past 24 hours amounted to 105 personnel, an infantry fighting vehicle, six motor vehicles, a US-made 155mm M777 howitzer and an electronic warfare station, it specified.

Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr inflicts 45 casualties on Ukrainian army over past day

Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr inflicted roughly 45 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed an enemy ammunition depot in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup Dnepr units inflicted casualties on formations of the Ukrainian army’s 128th mountain assault and 44th artillery brigades in areas near the settlements of Pavlovka and Stepovoye in the Zaporozhye Region," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in that frontline area over the past 24 hours amounted to 45 personnel, a US-made M113 armored personnel carrier, a US-made 155mm Paladin self-propelled artillery system and two electronic warfare stations, it specified.

In addition, Russian forces destroyed an ammunition depot of the Ukrainian army, it said.

Russian forces wipe out British-made Storm Shadow missile depot

Russian forces destroyed a depot of British-made Storm Shadow long-range missiles of the Ukrainian army 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 a depot of British-made Storm Shadow long-range cruise missiles, an oil base supplying fuel for Ukrainian military equipment and struck massed enemy manpower and military hardware in 135 areas," the ministry said.

Russian air defenses destroy 36 Ukrainian UAVs, 3 smart bombs over past day

Russian air defense forces shot down 36 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), three Hammer smart bombs and a rocket of the US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Air defense capabilities shot down three French-made Hammer guided aerial bombs, a US-made HIMARS rocket and 36 unmanned aerial vehicles," the ministry said.

Overall, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 640 Ukrainian warplanes, 283 helicopters, 30,649 unmanned aerial vehicles, 575 surface-to-air missile systems, 17,593 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,426 multiple rocket launchers, 13,741 field artillery guns and mortars and 25,335 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation, the ministry reported.