Kiev loses about 1,440 troops in special military operation zone in past day — top brass

TASS

MOSCOW, September 21. /TASS/. The Ukrainian armed forces have lost about 1,440 personnel in Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine over the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

Specifically, Ukraine’s losses in the area of responsibility of the Battlegroup North totaled more than 265 troops, in the Battlegroup West’s responsibility area – over 220, in the Battlegroup South’s area – over 215, in the Battlegroup Center’s area – over 430, in the Battlegroup East’s area – over 260, and in the Battlegroup Dnepr’s responsibility area – up to 50 troops.

Russian forces launched strikes overnight on logistics centers, warehouses and ports in Ukraine, as well as vessels involved in supporting the Ukrainian military, the Defense Ministry reported.

"Tonight, Russian forces launched strikes with UAVs against logistics centers, warehouses and ports in Ukraine, as well as vessels involved in supporting the Ukrainian military," the ministry said.

"As a result of the strike, the following targets were hit: <…> in the Odessa Region: at the port of Odessa, a bulk carrier that had delivered cargo intended to support the Ukrainian military. At the port of Izmail, port infrastructure facilities used to unload and store military cargo. In addition, a bulk carrier carrying cargo intended to support the Ukrainian armed forces to the port of Odessa was hit while crossing the sea," the statement said.

Russian forces hit the BDU Logistic center in the Kiev Region, where military products are stored, as a result of strikes, the Defense Ministry reported.

"As a result of the strike, the following target was hit in the Kiev Region: the BDU Logistic center in the settlement of Schastlivoye, where military products were stored and distributed in warehouse facilities," the statement said.

In addition, Russian forces reported hitting a gas distribution station in Boyarka in the Kiev Region that supplies gas to Ukrainian defense industry enterprises.

"A gas distribution station [was hit] in the settlement of Boyarka, which supplies gas to Ukrainian defense industry enterprises," the ministry said.

Russian air defense forces intercepted and destroyed 244 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions overnight, the Defense Ministry reported.

"Over the past night, on-duty air defense forces intercepted and destroyed 244 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles over the Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Volgograd, Kaluga, Kursk, Oryol, Orenburg, Rostov, Ryazan, Samara, Saratov, Tver, Tula, Ulyanovsk, Krasnodar, Adygea, Bashkortostan and Tatarstan Regions, as well as over the waters of the Black Sea," the ministry said.

Russian air defenses shot down four guided aerial bombs and 634 Ukrainian fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) over the past day, the Defense Ministry said in its latest update.

"Air defense systems shot down four guided aerial bombs, four US-made HIMARS multiple-launch rocket system projectiles, and 634 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles," the ministry said.

According to the ministry, a total of 674 aircraft, 284 helicopters, 242,630 unmanned aerial vehicles, 672 surface-to-air missile systems, 30,982 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,780 multiple rocket launcher combat vehicles, 36,529 field artillery guns and mortars, and 72,465 special military motor vehicles have been destroyed since the start of the special military operation.

Russian forces struck workshops producing unmanned aerial vehicles for Ukraine’s army, drone storage sites and temporary deployment areas of Ukrainian troops and foreign mercenaries in 153 locations, the Defense Ministry reported.

"Operational/tactical aircraft, attack unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groups of forces struck logistics centers, energy and transport infrastructure in Ukraine used by the Ukrainian army, military airfields, ammunition, fuel and materiel depots, workshops producing unmanned aerial vehicles and their storage sites and temporary deployment areas of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries in 153 locations," the ministry said in a statement.

Units of Russia’s Battlegroup North are encircling Ukrainian troops, simultaneously expanding their zone of control in the Kharkov Region, the Defense Ministry reported.

"Units of the Battlegroup North in the Kharkov Region are tightening the ring of encirclement and expanding the external zone of control," the ministry said in a statement.

Ukrainian forces encircled in the Kharkov Region have sustained losses exceeding 35 troops.

"Losses among the encircled Ukrainian forces amounted to more than 35 troops, an armored combat vehicle, an artillery piece, and a ground-based robotic system," the Defense Ministry said.

Russian troops within the encirclement in the Kharkov Region have inflicted losses on Ukrainian forces and destroyed their equipment in the areas around five settlements, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

"Within the encirclement, enemy personnel and equipment were destroyed in the areas surrounding the settlements of Buzovo, Krasny Yar, Reznikovo, Varvarovka, and Khripuny in the Kharkov Region," the ministry said in a statement.

Units of the Russian Battlegroup North are actively assuming control over areas near the Petropavlovka and Prikolotnoye communities in the Kharkov Region, the Defense Ministry reported.

"Active combat operations are underway to expand the external zone of control near the Petropavlovka and Prikolotnoye communities in the Kharkov Region," the ministry said in a statement.

Over the past 24 hours, fighters of Russia’s Battlegroup North have foiled three Ukrainian army’s attempts to bring reinforcements from Veliky Burluk to Olkhovatka in the Kharkov Region, the Defense Ministry reported.

"Three Ukrainian armed forces’ attempts to bring reinforcements from Veliky Burluk to the Olkhovatka settlement in the Kharkov Region were thwarted," the ministry said in a statement.

In the Kharkov Region, Ukraine’s four mechanized brigades and assault regiment suffered losses in personnel and equipment in the areas around the settlements of Sosnovka, Podsredneye, and Sosnovy Bor in the Kharkov Region.

The establishment of control over the Polnaya and Novoalexandrovka communities by the Russian Battlegroup North will significantly complicate the supply of enemy forces encircled in the Kharkov Region, the Defense Ministry reported.

"The establishment of control over the Polnaya and Novoalexandrovka communities in the Kharkov Region will significantly complicate air supplies to the enemy’s encircled group," the ministry said in a statement.

Fonte: TASS