MOSCOW, September 20. /TASS/. The battlegroup North continued the operation to eliminate the Ukrainian incursion in the Kursk Region this week and liberated two settlements - Uspenovka and Borki - over the past seven days, the Russian Defense Ministry said in its bulletin on progress of the special military operation over the past week.
Here are the details of this and other combat actions that happened over the week, according to the bulletin.
Battlegroup North
"During this week, units of the battlegroup North continued the operation to wipe out the Ukrainian incursion in the Kursk Region. In the course of offensive actions, the communities of Uspenovka and Borki were liberated."
"Over that past week, the enemy lost up to 3,510 troops, 18 tanks, including one German-made Leopard, 117 armored combat vehicles, 66 automobiles, two multiple missile launch systems, including one US-made, and 34 artillery systems. Four electronic warfare station were destroyed," it said.
Apart from that, according to the ministry, Russian aircraft struck areas of deployment of manpower and weapons of the Ukrainian army’s three mechanized, one tank, and two assault brigades, as well as two territorial defense brigades to foil attempted counterattacks and personnel reinforcement. "Ukrainian army’s motorize rifle and marine brigades, as well as three territorial defense brigades were hit in the Volchansk and Liptsy areas," the ministry added.
Battlegroup West
"Russian servicemen repelled 24 counterattacks of the Ukrainian assault units" in the battlegroup’s responsibility zone.
"The enemy lost over 3,745 servicemen, a tank, ten armored combat vehicles, including a US-made M113 armored personnel carrier, as well as 60 cars. In addition, Russian servicemen destroyed 40 enemy field artillery guns, including 19 155 mm howitzers and self-propelled artillery units transferred to the Ukrainian military by Western countries, 16 electronic and counter-battery warfare stations, and 22 field ammunition depots," the statement said.
"Over the past week, Russia’s battlegroup West continued to advance deep into the enemy’s defense, defeated the formations of six mechanized, assault brigades, three territorial defense brigades and a special purpose brigade of the Azov regiment (recognized as a terrorist organization and banned in Russia)," the bulletin said.
Battlegroup South
"Decisive actions of the battlegroup South units have resulted in the liberation of the settlements of Zhelannoye Pervoye and Georgievka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the report says.
The battlegroup repelled 14 counterattacks by Ukrainian troops.
"The Ukrainian forces lost over 4,855 servicemen, one tank, 2 German-made Marder infantry combat vehicles, 52 automobile vehicles and 34 field artillery cannons, 17 of them made in NATO states. Four electronic warfare and counter-artillery systems were eliminated, as well as 11 field ammunition caches," the ministry said.
Battlegroup Center
The battlegroup improved its position along the front line over the past week, repelling 58 Ukrainian counterattacks and inflicting roughly 3,610 enemy casualties. Its units defeated the formations of 17 enemy teams, including the Lyut assault brigade of the Ukrainian National Police. The enemy has also lost a tank, 11 armored combat vehicles, including a German-made Marder IFV and two US-made M113 armored personnel carriers, 21 vehicles and 29 field artillery pieces.
Battlegroup East
The battlegroup East has repelled 11 Ukrainian counterattacks.
"Units of the battlegroup East have taken more favorable lines and positions. Losses in manpower and materiel were inflicted on Ukraine’s tank, mechanized and motorized infantry brigades and territorial defense brigade. Eleven Ukrainian counterattacks were repelled," the ministry said.
The battlegroup has eliminated up to 735 Ukrainian servicemen.
Battlegroup Dnepr
"The battlegroup Dnepr defeated Ukrainian mechanized, infantry, mountain assault brigades, two marine brigades and four territorial defense brigades," the ministry said.
According to it, the Ukrainian losses amounted to up to 355 servicemen, two tanks, 27 cars and five field artillery guns. Four field ammunition depots were destroyed.
Air Force and air defenses
"The Russian Aerospace Forces destroyed three Ukrainian Air Force fighters: one MiG-29 and two Su-27s. Air defense systems downed one Ukrainian Air force MiG-29 in the past 7 days," the Defense Ministry said.
In addition, air defenses downed "7 US-made ATACMS tactical missiles, 12 French-made Hammer bombs, 42 US-made HIMARS munitions and 305 fixed-wing drones, 153 of them — outside of the special military operation area."
"Between September 14 and 20, the Russian Armed Forces carried out 27 group strikes with precision weapons and strike drones, hitting facilities providing energy for Ukrainian military-industrial complex enterprises, as well as military airstrip infrastructure, drone storage and pre-flight preparation facilities," the ministry said.
In addition, the Russian forces hit Ukrainian ammunition and equipment depots, weapon and vehicle repair depots, a military train with foreign-made weapons, as well as temporary deployment locations for Ukrainian troops, nationalist units and foreign mercenaries.
Tally of destroyed equipment
Overall, since the beginning of the special military operation, Russian units have eliminated 646 aircraft, 283 helicopters, 31,765 drones, 579 anti-aircraft weapons systems, 18,167 tanks and other armored vehicles, 1,455 multiple launch rocket system vehicles, 14,813 field artillery guns and mortars as well as 26,203 units of specialized automotive equipment, the military agency said.