MOSCOW, March 26. /TASS/. Russian forces delivered a combined strike by long-range precision weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles against Ukrainian intelligence decision-making centers and sites and foreign mercenaries’ deployment areas over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Tuesday.
"During the last 24-hour period, the Russian Armed Forces delivered a combined strike by seaborne and ground-based long-range precision weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles against SBU [Ukrainian Security Service] decision-making centers and sites, military-industrial enterprises and deployment areas of Ukrainian Neo-Nazi formations and foreign mercenaries. All the targets were struck. The goals of the strike were achieved," the ministry said in a statement.
On March 16-22, Russian troops delivered 49 retaliatory strikes with precision weapons, including Kinzhal hypersonic missiles in response to Kiev’s shelling of Russian populated areas and attempts to break through into its territory, the ministry reported.
On March 24, Russia’s Aerospace Forces delivered a combined strike by air-launched precision weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles against Ukrainian electric power and gas-extracting industry sites and naval drone assembly workshops.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with Security Council permanent members that the enemy’s strikes delivered against Russia’s populated areas during the presidential election would trigger a retaliatory strike.
Russian forces take better positions in Kupyansk area over past day
Russian forces improved their frontline positions in the Kupyansk area, eliminating roughly 20 enemy troops over the past day, the ministry reported.
"In the Kupyansk direction, units of the Western Battlegroup inflicted damage by firepower on enemy forces and improved their forward edge positions in active operations The Ukrainian army’s losses amounted to 20 personnel and 2 motor vehicles," the ministry said.
Kiev loses over 425 troops in Donetsk area over past day
The Ukrainian military lost more than 425 troops, four electronic warfare stations and a counter-battery radar in battles with Russian forces in the Donetsk area over the past day, the ministry reported.
"The Ukrainian army lost more than 425 personnel, 2 armored combat vehicles and 7 motor vehicles. In addition, Russian forces destroyed four electronic warfare stations, a US-made AN/TPQ-36 counter-battery radar station and a US-manufactured M777 howitzer," the ministry said.
Units of Russia’s Southern Battlegroup took advantageous positions and inflicted damage on formations of the Ukrainian army’s 54th and 93rd mechanized and 81st airmobile brigades near the settlements of Belogorovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Kleshcheyevka and Verkhnekamenskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic, it specified.
Russian forces repulse four Ukrainian counterattacks in Avdeyevka area over past day
Russian forces improved their frontline positions and repulsed four Ukrainian army counterattacks in the Avdeyevka area, eliminating roughly 280 enemy troops and two tanks over the past day, the ministry reported.
"In the Avdeyevka direction, units of the Battlegroup Center inflicted damage on enemy formations and improved their forward edge positions. They repulsed four enemy counterattacks," the ministry said.
The Ukrainian army lost "as many as 280 personnel, 2 tanks, 2 armored combat vehicles and 6 motor vehicles," it specified.
In counter-battery fire, Russian forces destroyed two US-made M777 howitzers, a UK-made AS-90 self-propelled artillery gun, a D-20 howitzer and a Gvozdika motorized artillery system in the Avdeyevka direction over the past 24 hours, the ministry reported.
Russian forces destroy 105 Ukrainian troops in south Donetsk area over past day
Russian forces destroyed roughly 105 Ukrainian troops and 2 British howitzers in the south Donetsk area over the past day, the ministry reported.
"In the south Donetsk direction, units of the Battlegroup East inflicted damage by firepower and repulsed two counterattacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian army’s 72nd mechanized brigade near the settlement of Staromayorskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The enemy’s losses amounted to 105 personnel, five motor vehicles and two UK-made FH70 howitzers and also a Gvozdika motorized artillery system," the ministry said statement.
Russian forces destroy 50 Ukrainian troops in Kherson area over past day
Russian forces struck Ukrainian army units in the Kherson area, destroying roughly 50 enemy troops and a US-made howitzer over the past day, the ministry reported.
"In the Kherson direction, units of the Dnepr Battlegroup improved their forward edge positions in well-coordinated operations and inflicted damage by firepower on amassed manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 65th mechanized and 108th territorial defense brigades near the settlements of Rabotino and Novosyolovka in the Zaporozhye Region," the ministry said.
The Ukrainian army’s losses in the Kherson direction over the past 24 hours amounted to 50 personnel, 3 motor vehicles and a US-made M777 howitzer, it specified.
Russian forces strike Ukrainian troops, hardware in 114 areas over past day
Russian forces struck Ukrainian troops and military hardware in 114 areas over the past day, the ministry reported.
"Operational-tactical aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groupings of forces struck the Ukrainian army’s manpower and military equipment in 114 areas," the ministry said.
Russian air defenses down 131 Ukrainian UAVs over past day
Russian air defense forces shot down 131 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and two S-200 surface-to-air missiles converted into strike weapons over the past day, the ministry reported.
"During the last 24-hour period, air defense capabilities shot down 131 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, two S-200 surface-to-air missiles converted for striking ground targets and 15 rockets of the HIMARS and Vampire multiple launch rocket systems," the ministry said.
In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 577 Ukrainian warplanes, 270 helicopters, 17,142 unmanned aerial vehicles, 489 surface-to-air missile systems, 15,604 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,256 multiple rocket launchers, 8,531 field artillery guns and mortars and 20,215 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation, the ministry reported.