MOSCOW, March 22. /TASS/. Russian forces delivered a massive retaliatory strike by precision weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles against Ukrainian energy and military-industrial sites, disorganizing Ukraine’s arms industry and eliminating foreign military hardware, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Friday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said earlier that the enemy’s strikes against Russia’s territory during the presidential election would trigger a retaliatory strike.
"The Russian Armed Forces delivered a massive strike by air-launched, seaborne and ground-based long-range precision weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles against energy and military-industrial facilities, railway hubs, arsenals, deployment sites of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries. The strike disorganized the operation of enterprises producing and repairing armaments, military hardware and ammunition. All the goals of the massive strike were achieved," the ministry said in a statement.
Russia’s massive retaliatory strike wiped out foreign military equipment and weapons delivered to Ukraine from NATO countries, disrupted the deployment of the enemy’s reserves to the frontline and destroyed formations of the Ukrainian army and mercenaries in their refit areas, it specified.
Russia delivers 49 strikes over week in response to Kiev’s shelling, cross-border attacks
Russia delivered 49 retaliatory strikes with precision weapons, including Kinzhal hypersonic missiles over the past week in response to Kiev’s shelling of Russian populated areas and attempts to break through into its territory, the ministry reported.
"Over the period of March 16-22 this year, the Russian Armed Forces delivered 49 retaliatory strikes by air-launched long-range precision weapons, including Kinzhal aero-ballistic hypersonic missiles, missile systems and unmanned aerial vehicles in response to the shelling of our territory and attempts to break through and seize Russian border communities," the ministry said.
The strikes destroyed Ukrainian military command centers, airfield infrastructure facilities, armament and military hardware repair workshops, UAV and naval drone storage facilities, logistical support bases and temporary deployment sites of special operations forces and foreign mercenaries, the ministry said.
Russian forces repel 13 Ukrainian counterattacks in Kupyansk area over week
Russian forces repelled 13 Ukrainian army counterattacks in the Kupyansk area over the past week, the ministry reported.
"Russian forces repelled 13 counterattacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian army’s 57th motorized infantry, 30th and 32nd mechanized brigades and 18th National Guard brigade near the settlements of Sinkovka in the Kharkov Region and Terny in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.
Russian forces inflicted damage on Ukrainian armed formations near the settlements of Kotlyarovka, Berestovoye, Kislovka, Yagodnoye and Timkovka in the Kharkov Region, Chervonaya Dibrova and Nadiya in the Lugansk People’s Republic. The Ukrainian army lost "as many as 400 personnel, 3 tanks, 3 armored combat vehicles, 25 motor vehicles and 19 field artillery guns," it specified.
Russian forces thwart all Ukrainian army attempts to penetrate border areas
Russian forces thwarted all the Ukrainian army’s attempts to penetrate the borderline Kursk and Belgorod Regions over the past week, the ministry reported.
"Throughout the week, Ukrainian militants made attempts to break through into the border areas of the Belgorod and Kursk Regions. Russian border protection forces repulsed all the attacks in their well-coordinated operations," the ministry said.
Kiev loses over 3,000 militants in Belgorod area over past week
The Ukrainian military lost over 3,000 militants in the Belgorod direction over the past week, the ministry reported.
"Over the week, Ukraine’s armed forces lost more than 3,000 personnel and militants of Ukrainian terrorist formations, 7 tanks, 15 armored vehicles and 17 motor vehicles," the ministry said.
Russian forces liberate Alebastrovaya railway station in DPR
Russian forces improved their frontline positions in the Donetsk area and liberated the Alebastrovaya railway station, the ministry reported.
"In the Donetsk direction, units of the Southern Battlegroup liberated the Alebastrovaya railway station in the Donetsk People’s Republic in their active operations and improved their forward edge positions," the ministry said.
Russian forces repel 10 Ukrainian counterattacks in Donetsk area over week
Russian forces repelled 10 Ukrainian army counterattacks in the Donetsk area over the past week, the ministry reported.
"Russian forces repelled 10 counterattacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian army’s 46th and 81st airmobile brigades near the settlements of Belogorovka, Krasnogorovka and Novomikhailovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The enemy’s losses over the week amounted to more than 1,885 personnel, six tanks, 13 armored combat vehicles, 41 motor vehicles, 17 field artillery guns and nine field ammunition depots," the ministry said.
Russian forces also inflicted damage on formations of the Ukrainian army’s air assault, tank, two airmobile, four mechanized and two assault brigades and three territorial defense brigades near the settlements of Razdolovka, Krasnoye, Andreyevka, Kleshcheyevka, Kurdyumovka, Konstantinovka and Georgiyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, it specified.
Russian forces liberate two communities in Avdeyevka area over past week
Russian forces liberated the communities of Orlovka and Tonenkoye in the Avdeyevka area over the past week, the ministry reported.
"In the Avdeyevka direction, units of the Battlegroup Center operating in interaction with aircraft and artillery liberated the settlements of Orlovka and Tonenkoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.
Russian forces strike seven Ukrainian army brigades in DPR over week
Russian forces struck manpower and military equipment of seven Ukrainian army brigades in the Avdeyevka area in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) over the past week, the ministry reported.
"Russian forces inflicted casualties on manpower and equipment of seven Ukrainian army brigades near the settlements of Berdychi, Netailovo, Semyonovka, Pervomaiskoye, Novgorodskoye, Umanskoye and Ocheretino in the Donetsk People’s Republic. They repulsed 42 counterattacks by formations of the enemy’s 47th mechanized, 59th motorized infantry, 78th air assault and 3rd assault brigades near the settlements of Leninskoye, Novobakhmutovka, Orlovka and Vodyanoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.
Ukraine’s army loses over 2,195 troops in Avdeyevka area over week
The Ukrainian military lost more than 2,195 troops in battles with Russian forces in the Avdeyevka area over the past week, the ministry reported.
"Over the week, the Ukrainian army lost more than 2,195 personnel, 2 tanks, 21 armored combat vehicles, 65 motor vehicles and 28 field artillery guns," the ministry said.
Kiev loses over 935 troops in south Donetsk area over week
The Ukrainian military lost more than 935 troops and three tanks in battles with Russian forces in the south Donetsk area over the past week, the ministry reported.
"Russian forces inflicted casualties on formations of the 1st Ukrainian National Guard brigade, the 127th and 128th territorial defense brigades near the settlements of Shakhtyorskoye, Rovnopol and Urozhainoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic. They repulsed five counterattacks by the Ukrainian army’s 72nd mechanized and 58th motorized infantry brigades near the settlements of Urozhainoye and Vladimirovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The Ukrainian army’s losses amounted to over 935 personnel, 3 tanks, 11 armored combat vehicles, 25 motor vehicles and 7 field artillery guns," the ministry said.
Russian forces liberate Mirnoye community in Zaporozhye area
Russian forces liberated the community of Mirnoye in the Zaporozhye area, the ministry reported.
"In the south Donetsk direction, units of the Battlegroup East liberated the community of Mirnoye in the Zaporozhye Region and improved their forward edge positions," the ministry said.
Russian forces eliminate over 330 Ukrainian troops in Kherson area over week
Russian forces eliminated over 330 Ukrainian troops and 11 field artillery guns in the Kherson area over the past week, the ministry reported.
"The enemy’s losses amounted to over 330 personnel, 22 motor vehicles and 11 field artillery guns," the ministry said in a statement.
In the Kherson direction, Russian troops inflicted damage by firepower on formations of the Ukrainian army’s 28th and 65th mechanized, 128th assault, 121st and 126th territorial defense and 35th marine infantry brigades near the settlements of Rabotino, Stepnogorsk, Shcherbaki and Stepnoye in the Zaporozhye Region, Ivanovka and Nikolskoye in the Kherson Region, the ministry specified.
Russian forces destroy nine Czech-made Vampire rocket launchers over week
Russian forces destroyed nine Czech-made Vampire multiple rocket launchers of the Ukrainian army over the past week, the ministry reported.
"Over the week, missile troops, artillery and unmanned aerial vehicles of the Russian groupings of forces destroyed nine Czech-made Vampire multiple rocket launchers, a battery of German-made IRIS-T surface-to-air missile systems, two US-manufactured AN/TPQ-50 and AN/TPQ-36 counter-battery radar stations and four Ukrainian Anklav-N, Nota and Bukovel-AD electronic warfare stations," the ministry said.
Russian air defenses destroy 992 Ukrainian military drones over week
Russian air defense forces destroyed 992 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles and a Mi-8 helicopter over the past week, the ministry reported.
"Over the week, aircraft and air defense capabilities destroyed a Ukrainian Air Force Mi-8 helicopter and shot down two Tochka-U tactical missiles, two S-200 surface-to-air missiles converted for striking ground targets, 156 rockets of the HIMARS, Vampire, Grad, Olkha and Uragan multiple launch rocket systems and 992 unmanned aerial vehicles," the ministry said.
Russian forces destroy over 20,000 special military motor vehicles in Ukraine operation
Russian forces have destroyed over 20,000 special military motor vehicles of the Ukrainian army since the start of the special military operation in Ukraine, the ministry reported.
"In all, the following targets have been destroyed since the start of the special military operation: 577 warplanes, 270 helicopters, 16,565 unmanned aerial vehicles, 487 surface-to-air missile systems, 15,572 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,252 multiple rocket launchers, 8,490 field artillery guns and mortars and 20,057 special military motor vehicles," the ministry said.
