Moscow, (TASS) Russian air defense systems are reported to have intercepted 14 of his HIMARS missiles in the past day. Russian fighter jets, missile units and artillery hit more than 60 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions yesterday during a special military operation in Ukraine, said Defense Ministry spokesman Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov.“Over the past 24 hours, operational-tactical aircraft, missile units and artillery of the Russian Armed Forces Group have attacked 63 artillery units with firing positions, personnel and military equipment in 97 areas,” the spokesman said.
According to Konashenkov, Russian artillery hit the accumulated personnel of his two Ukrainian army brigades in the Kupyansk region, and the day before he eliminated more than 40 militants. Konashenkov said Ukrainian forces lost about 70 soldiers and two radars in the Krasnyy Liman area as a result of losses suffered the previous day by Russian artillery and airborne forces.
“In the Krasny Liman area, artillery fire from the Central Military District and the Airborne Forces damaged units of the 80th and 95th Air Raid Brigades of the Ukrainian Army in the Serebryansky Forestry area. It was four combat vehicles and two US-made AN/TPQ-37 and AN/TPQ-50 anti-artillery radars,” a spokesman said.
Russian strike forces, supported by fighter planes and missile units, have liberated Krasnopolye municipality in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Konashenkov reported.
According to Konashenkov, Russian forces yesterday eliminated more than 60 Ukrainian troops, two armored vehicles and two howitzers in the Donetsk region. “In the last 24 hours, more than 60 soldiers, 2 armored fighting vehicles, 3 motor vehicles, 2 howitzers (Msta-B and D-30), and a US-made AN / TPQ-50 counterbattery Radar was killed this [Donetsk region], the speaker said.
According to Konashenkov, Russian forces eliminated about 30 Ukrainian troops and the Grad missile system in the Zaporozhye region that day.
Russian troops yesterday attacked the base of the Ukrainian 107th Artillery Brigade in the Dnieper region, Konashenkov reported.
According to Konashenkov, the Russian military recently destroyed his US-made HIMARS multiple-launch missile system along with its crew in the Dnieper region.
“An American HIMARS multiple launch rocket system was destroyed along with its crew in an attack on an uncovered launch site,” a spokesman said. Konashenkov said Russian air defense systems intercepted 14 HIMARS missiles in the past day.
Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov and New US Special Envoy to Moscow Lynn Tracy met in Washington on Monday, the Russian Embassy reported.
The U.S. State Department declined to comply with TASS’ request as to when Tracy would arrive in Moscow.
The newly approved military development plan guarantees the protection of the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, said Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov.
“The main goal of this work is to ensure our country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and to create the conditions for progress in social and economic development.” According to the plan approved by the Supreme Commander at the expanded Defense Ministry Council, the Moscow and Leningrad military districts will be created. Also in the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions he will form three motorized rifle divisions, and in the north-western regions of Karelia an army unit will be established, Gerasimov said.
The head of Ukraine’s national security and defence council, Oleksiy Danilov, sat down with FRANCE 24 correspondent and reporter Gulliver Cragg in Kyiv. As Ukraine asks the West for hundreds of modern tanks to defend itself against Russian aggression, Danilov claimed that “the quicker we get help, the quicker we can solve this problem”. The top security official also explained why he’s convinced Russian President Vladimir Putin will not use nuclear weapons, saying: “Putin is just not the kind of person one needs to be afraid of. He’ll never press the nuclear button. He’s simply a coward.”
