MOSCOW, July 4. /TASS/: Russian air defense forces shot down two Ukrainian Su-25 ground attack planes, intercepted five rockets of the US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system and destroyed 14 enemy drones over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Tuesday.
"Air defense capabilities shot down two Ukrainian Air Force Su-25 planes near the settlements of Georgiyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Orekhov in the Zaporozhye Region. Five rockets of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system were intercepted over the past 24 hours," the spokesman said.
In addition, Russian air defenses destroyed 14 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles in areas near the settlements of Ploshchanka and Topolevka in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Krynki and Sagy in the Kherson Region, Gladkoye, Nesteryanka and Inzhenernoye in the Zaporozhye Region, the general reported.
Russian forces destroy 30 Ukrainian troops, US-made howitzer in Kupyansk area in past day
Russian forces destroyed about 30 Ukrainian troops and a US-made artillery system in the Kupyansk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Kupyansk direction, the enemy’s losses amounted to 30 Ukrainian personnel, three motor vehicles, Giatsint-S and Akatsiya self-propelled artillery guns, a D-20 howitzer and a US-manufactured M777 artillery system," the spokesman said.
Operational/tactical and army aircraft and artillery of Russia’s western battlegroup struck the Ukrainian army’s manpower and military hardware in areas near the settlements of Berestovoye and Timkovka in the Kharkov Region in the Kupyansk direction during the last 24-hour period, the general said.
Russian forces also repulsed an enemy attack near the settlement of Novosyolovskoye in the Lugansk People’s Republic, the spokesman said.
Russian forces wipe out Ukrainian ammo depot in Kharkov Region
Russian forces destroyed a Ukrainian ammunition depot in the Kharkov Region over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the area of the settlement of Peschanoye in the Kharkov Region, an ammunition depot of the 67th territorial defense brigade was destroyed," the spokesman said.
Russian forces destroy 135 Ukrainian troops in Krasny Liman area over past day
Russian forces inflicted damage on Ukrainian army units in the Krasny Liman area, destroying over 135 enemy troops in the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"Over 135 Ukrainian personnel, two armored combat vehicles, two pickup trucks, a Gvozdika motorized artillery system, two D-30 howitzers and one D-20 howitzer were destroyed in the past 24 hours," the spokesman said.
Russian forces repelled four Ukrainian attacks and thwarted the activity of an enemy subversive/reconnaissance group in that direction in the past 24 hours, the general reported.
Russian forces repel ten Ukrainian attacks in Donetsk area over past day
Russian forces repelled ten Ukrainian attacks in the Donetsk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Donetsk direction, ten enemy attacks were successfully repelled by competent and courageous actions of the defending units from the southern battlegroup," the spokesman said.
The enemy’s losses in the Donetsk direction in the past 24 hours amounted to "290 Ukrainian personnel killed and wounded, two infantry fighting vehicles, nine motor vehicles, two pickup trucks, an Akatsiya self-propelled artillery gun, Msta-B and D-30 howitzers and a Polish-made Krab motorized artillery system, the general reported.
In addition, Russian forces obliterated a field ammunition depot of the Ukrainian army’s 54th mechanized brigade near the settlement of Viyemka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, he said.
Russian forces eliminate 200 Ukrainian troops in south Donetsk, Zaporozhye areas
Russian forces eliminated roughly 200 Ukrainian troops in the south Donetsk and Zaporozhye areas over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the south Donetsk direction, artillery and heavy flamethrower systems from the battlegroup East repulsed two enemy attacks in the past 24 hours near the settlement of Urozhainoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic. Near the settlement of Priyutnoye in the Zaporozhye Region, the activity of a Ukrainian subversive/reconnaissance group was thwarted. In the Zaporozhye direction, Russian forces inflicted damage by their self-sacrificing and well-coordinated actions on amassed manpower and equipment of the 106th territorial defense brigade near the settlement of Lugovskoye in the Zaporozhye Region," the spokesman said.
In all, Russian forces destroyed as many as 200 Ukrainian personnel, one tank, four infantry fighting vehicles, four armored combat vehicles, three motor vehicles, two Msta-B howitzers and one D-20 howitzer during the battles in those directions in the past 24 hours, the general reported.
Russian forces destroy Ukrainian ammo depot in Zaporozhye area over past day
Russian forces destroyed a Ukrainian ammunition depot in the Zaporozhye area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the area of the town of Orekhov in the Zaporozhye Region, an ammunition depot of the Ukrainian army’s 47th mechanized brigade was destroyed," the spokesman said.
Russian forces destroy 50 Ukrainian troops, US-made howitzer in Kherson area
Russian forces destroyed roughly 50 Ukrainian troops and a US-made howitzer in the Kherson area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Kherson direction, as many as 50 Ukrainian personnel, three motor vehicles, an Msta-B howitzer and a US-manufactured M777 artillery system were destroyed in the past 24 hours as a result of damage inflicted by firepower," the spokesman said.
Russia’s Aerospace Forces down Ukrainian Su-25 warplane, Mi-8 helicopter in DPR
Russia’s Aerospace Forces shot down a Ukrainian Su-25 ground attack plane and a Mi-8 helicopter in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"Fighter aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Force shot down a Ukrainian Su-25 plane near the settlement of Grigorovka and a Ukrainian Air Force Mi-8 helicopter near the community of Novogrodovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.
Russian forces strike 85 Ukrainian artillery units over past day
Russian forces struck 85 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"During the last 24-hour period, operational/tactical and army aircraft, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groupings of forces struck 85 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions, manpower and military equipment in 102 areas," the spokesman said.
In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 449 Ukrainian warplanes, 241 combat helicopters, 4,887 unmanned aerial vehicles, 426 surface-to-air missile systems, 10,503 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,134 multiple rocket launchers, 5,330 field artillery guns and mortars and 11,407 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation in Ukraine, Konashenkov reported.