MOSCOW, December 20. /TASS/. Russian troops liberated ten communities in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) over the week of December 14-20 in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Friday.

"Battlegroup South units liberated the settlements of Annovka, Vesyoly Gai, Yelizavetovka, Trudovoye and Uspenovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic as a result of decisive operations… Battlegroup Center units kept advancing deep into the enemy’s defenses and liberated the settlements of Novopustynka, Pushkino and Stariye Terny in the Donetsk People’s Republic… Battlegroup East units liberated the settlements of Zelenovka and Novy Komar in the Donetsk People’s Republic as a result of active operations," the ministry said in a statement.

Russian troops deliver 24 strikes at Ukrainian energy, military sites over week

Russian troops delivered 24 strikes by precision weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles at energy sites of Ukrainian armed formations, military airfields, army and mercenaries’ deployment areas over the past week, the ministry reported.

"On December 14-20, the Russian Armed Forces delivered 24 combined strikes by precision weapons and attack unmanned aerial vehicles, hitting energy facilities supporting operations of the Ukrainian army, the infrastructure of military airfields, assembly and storage sites of unmanned aerial vehicles, a military train at an unloading station, and also temporary deployment areas of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries," the ministry said.

Russia’s Battlegroup North inflicts over 2,675 casualties on Ukrainian army in week

Russia’s Battlegroup North inflicted more than 2,675 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed 26 enemy field artillery guns in the Kursk area and the Kharkov Region over the week, the ministry reported.

"During the week, Battlegroup North units continued destroying Ukrainian armed formations on the territory of the Kursk Region. Combat aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles and artillery struck manpower and equipment of two armored brigades, a heavy mechanized brigade, seven mechanized brigades, three air assault brigades and two assault battalions of the Ukrainian army, a marine infantry brigade and five territorial defense brigades," the ministry said.

In the Kharkov direction, Battlegroup North units inflicted damage on formations of a mechanized brigade, a motorized infantry brigade and an air assault brigade of the Ukrainian army, two territorial defense brigades and a border guard detachment of Ukraine’s Border Guard Service, it said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in those frontline areas over the past week totaled more than 2,675 personnel, nine tanks, 73 armored combat vehicles, including a US-made Bradley infantry fighting vehicle and a US-manufactured Stryker armored personnel carrier, 68 motor vehicles, two Croatian-made RAK-SA-12 multiple rocket launchers and 26 field artillery guns, it specified.

Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicts over 3,610 casualties on Ukrainian army in week

Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicted more than 3,610 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed six enemy ammunition depots in its area of responsibility over the week, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup West units improved their frontline positions and inflicted losses on manpower and equipment of five mechanized brigades, an infantry brigade, a jaeger brigade, an assault brigade, an airmobile brigade and an airborne brigade of the Ukrainian army, three territorial defense brigades and a National Guard brigade. They repelled 18 counterattacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian army," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in that frontline area over the past week amounted to more than 3,610 personnel, two tanks, two infantry fighting vehicles, six armored personnel carriers, including a US-made M113 armored personnel carrier and a Polish-made Rosomak armored vehicle, four other armored combat vehicles, 34 motor vehicles and 57 field artillery guns, among them eight Western-made 155mm weapons, it specified.

In addition, Russian forces destroyed four electronic warfare and counterbattery radar stations and six ammunition depots of the Ukrainian army over the week, it said.

Russia’s Battlegroup South inflicts over 2,365 casualties on Ukrainian army in week

Russia’s Battlegroup South inflicted more than 2,365 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed an enemy tank and 17 armored combat vehicles in its area of responsibility over the week, the ministry reported.

During the week, Battlegroup South units "inflicted casualties on formations of six mechanized brigades, a motorized infantry brigade, an infantry brigade, two airmobile brigades, an assault brigade, an air assault brigade and a mountain assault brigade of the Ukrainian army, a marine infantry brigade and three territorial defense brigades," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in that frontline area over the past week totaled more than 2,365 personnel, a tank, five armored personnel carriers, including a US-made Stryker armored vehicle and three US-manufactured M113 armored personnel carriers, 12 other armored combat vehicles, 20 motor vehicles, 17 field artillery guns, among them seven Western-made weapons, and four electronic warfare and counterbattery radar stations, it specified.

In addition, Russian forces destroyed five ammunition depots of the Ukrainian army over the week, it said.

Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicts over 2,945 casualties on Ukrainian army in week

Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicted more than 2,945 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed two enemy tanks and 15 armored combat vehicles in its area of responsibility over the week, the ministry reported.

During the week, Battlegroup Center units "inflicted losses on formations of a heavy mechanized brigade, six mechanized brigades, a motorized infantry brigade, an infantry brigade, a jaeger brigade, two assault brigades and two assault battalions of the Ukrainian army, a marine infantry brigade, two territorial defense brigades and two National Guard brigades. They repulsed 67 enemy counterattacks," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in that frontline area over the past week amounted to more than 2,945 personnel, two tanks, 15 armored combat vehicles, including three US-made Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and two US-manufactured M113 armored personnel carriers, 23 motor vehicles and 43 field artillery guns, it specified.

Russia’s Battlegroup East inflicts 1,215 casualties on Ukrainian army over week

Russia’s Battlegroup East inflicted roughly 1,215 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed a German-made Leopard tank in its area of responsibility over the week, the ministry reported.

During the week, Battlegroup East units "inflicted casualties on formations of two mechanized brigades and a mountain assault brigade of the Ukrainian army, three territorial defense brigades and two National Guard brigades. They repelled 16 counterattacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian army," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in that frontline area over the past week amounted to 1,215 personnel, two tanks, including a German-made Leopard tank, two infantry fighting vehicles, 11 other armored combat vehicles, 22 motor vehicles and 20 field artillery guns, including six NATO-produced 155mm self-propelled artillery systems and howitzers, it specified.

Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr inflicts 440 casualties on Ukrainian army over week

Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr inflicted roughly 440 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed six enemy field ammunition depots in its area of responsibility over the week, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup Dnepr units inflicted damage on manpower and equipment of a heavy mechanized brigade, two mechanized brigades, an infantry brigade, an air assault brigade and a mountain assault brigade of the Ukrainian army, three territorial defense brigades and a National Guard brigade," it specified.

The Ukrainian army’s losses in that frontline area over the past week amounted to 440 personnel, 20 motor vehicles and 16 field artillery guns, including three US-made 155mm M777 howitzers, it specified.

In addition, Russian forces destroyed a US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system and four US-manufactured Patriot surface-to-air missile launchers, five electronic warfare stations and six field ammunition depots of the Ukrainian army, it said.

Nearly 60 Ukrainian soldiers surrender to Russian troops over week

Nearly 60 Ukrainian soldiers surrendered to Russian troops at the engagement line over the past week, the ministry reported.

"During the week, 59 Ukrainian servicemen surrendered at the engagement line," the ministry said.

Russian air defenses down MiG-29 fighter jet, 519 Ukrainian UAVs over week

Russian air defense forces shot down a Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jet and 519 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) over the week, the ministry reported.

"Air defense systems shot down a Ukrainian Air Force MiG-29 fighter jet, six US-made ATACMS operational-tactical missiles, three British-made Storm Shadow air-launched cruise missiles, a Neptune long-range missile, four French-made Hammer guided aerial bombs, 18 rockets of the US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system and 519 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles," the ministry said.

Overall, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 650 Ukrainian warplanes, 283 helicopters, 38,152 unmanned aerial vehicles, 590 surface-to-air missile systems, 19,933 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,504 multiple rocket launchers, 19,874 field artillery guns and mortars and 29,384 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation, the ministry reported.