RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE
Russian forces carry out 40 group strikes on Ukrainian military facilities over week
The Russian forces have carried out 40 group strikes on Ukrainian military airfields and ammunition depots, intercepted a Tochka-U missile and two S-200 missiles, as well as shot down a Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopter and 119 drones over the past week, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
TASS has compiled the main achievements of the Russian armed forces in the special military operation over the past week.
Krasny Liman area
Russia’s battlegroup Center repelled 11 Ukrainian attacks in the Krasny Liman area over the past week, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
"In the Krasny Liman area, the central battlegroup repelled 11 attacks by Ukrainian assault groups. In addition, the Russian forces hit the manpower of the 24th, 63rd, 67th Ukrainian mechanized brigades, as well as the 1st, 5th and 31st National Guard brigades near Kirovsk, Torskoye, Yampol and Grigorovka of the Donetsk People's Republic. The total losses of the enemy over the week amounted to up to 1,100 servicemen," the ministry said.
According to the Russian military, the Ukrainian forces also lost four tanks, three armored combat vehicles, 17 vehicles and two field artillery guns in this area.
Zaporozhye area
The Russian forces repelled eight attacks by Ukrainian troops in the Zaporozhye area over the past week; Ukraine’s weekly losses in this area amounted up to 335 troops, the Russian Defense Ministry said. "In the Zaporozhye area, the Russian forces maintained active defense and repelled eight enemy attacks near the settlements of Rabotino and Verbonoye in the Zaporozhye Region. Apart from that, Russian forces hit enemy manpower and weapons of the 128th assault and 33rd, 65th, 117th, and 188th mechanized brigades of the Ukrainian army near the settlements of Malaya Tokmachka, Novodanilovka, and Novoandreyevka in the Zaporozhye Region," the ministry said. According to it, Ukraine’s losses in this area amounted up to 335 troops, who were either killed or wounded, as well as 19 cars and three artillery systems.
Kupyansk area
Russia’s Battlegroup West has improved its positions in the Kupyansk area and repelled 27 attacks by Ukrainian troops, the Russian Defense Ministry said. "In the Kupyansk area, units of the Battlegroup West have improved their frontline positions and repelled 27 enemy attacks. The enemy’s weekly losses amounted to more than 425 troops, five tanks, including one Leopard, 11 armored combat vehicles, 12 cars, and three artillery systems," it said. According to the ministry, Russian aircraft and artillery hit manpower of the Ukrainian 113th territorial defense brigade, the 57th motorized brigade, the 14th, 21st, 41st, 43rd, 60th, and 115th mechanized brigades of the Ukrainian army near the settlements of Sinkovka, Ivanovka, Yagodnoye, Petropavlovka, and Kupyansk in the Kharkov Region.
Donetsk area
The Russian forces wiped out over 1,580 Ukrainian servicemen over the past week near Artemovskoye, Kleshcheyevka, Kurdyumovka and Georgievka, the Russian Defense Ministry said. "In addition, in the areas of the settlements of Artemovskoye, Kleshcheyevka, Kurdyumovka and Georgievka of the Donetsk People's Republic, the Ukrainian personnel and equipment was hit. The enemy's losses over the week in this area amounted to more than 1,580 servicemen, two tanks, 16 armored combat vehicles, 13 vehicles and 31 field artillery guns," the statement said.
The Russian military has thwarted 49 attacks by Ukrainian troops and improved its positions on separate frontline sections in the Donetsk area, the ministry added. "In the Donetsk area, Battlegroup South units, supported by aviation and artillery, have improved the frontline situation in certain sectors as well as repelled 49 enemy attacks over the past week," the military said.
South Donetsk area
The Russian forces repulsed two Ukrainian attacks in the south Donetsk area over the past week and defeated three enemy brigades near Novomikhailovka, Ugledar, Makarovka, and Levadnoye, the Russian Defense Ministry said. "In the south Donetsk area, the battlegroup East repelled two enemy attacks. It inflicted a fire defeat on units of the 58th Ukrainian motorized infantry brigade, the 72nd mechanized brigade and the 128th territorial defense brigade in the areas of Novomikhailovka, Ugledar, Makarovka in the Donetsk People's Republic and Levadnoye in the Zaporozhye Region," the ministry said. It added that the Ukrianian losses over the past week in this area amounted to over 600 servicemen, three armored combat vehicles, 14 vehicles and 11 field artillery guns.
Kherson area
Russian troops have stopped all attempts by Ukrainian sabotage groups to land on the Dnieper’s islands and the eastern bank in the Kherson area, the Russian Defense Ministry said. "All attempts of the enemy’s sabotage groups to land on the Dnieper River’s islands and the left bank in the Kherson area have been foiled," the ministry said.
Ukraine’s army has lost up to 290 troops and 17 boats in the Kherson area over the past week, the military added. "As a result of the preemptive actions of Russian forces, the Ukrainian army has lost up to 290 troops, 18 cars, 17 boats, and nine artillery systems," it said. According to the ministry, Russian aircraft and artillery hit units of the Ukrainian 35th, 36th, and 37th marine brigades, as well as the 124th territorial defense brigade near the city of Kherson and the villages of Berislav and Tyaginka in the Kherson Region.
Special military operation course
Russian forces have carried out 40 group strikes on Ukrainian military airfields and ammunition depots over the past week, the Russian Defense Ministry said. "Between December 9 and 15, the Russian Armed Forces carried out 40 group strikes with precision weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles on the enemy’s military airfield infrastructure, arsenals, depots of artillery ammunition, weapons and military equipment. In addition, strikes were inflicted on bases of Ukrainian units, the Azov nationalist formation (designated as a terrorist organization and banned in Russia), as well as the Foreign Legion. All designated facilities were hit," the ministry said.
Russian air defense systems have intercepted a Tochka-U missile and two S-200 missiles, as well as shot down a Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopter and 119 drones over the past week, the Russian military pointed out. "Air defense systems shot down a Mi-8 helicopter of the Ukrainian air force near the settlements of Tyaginka in the Kherson Region. Over the week, Russian forces intercepted a Tochka-U tactical missile, two S-200 guided missiles, 17 HIMARS rockets, as well as 119 unmanned aerial vehicles," it said.
The Defense Ministry also revealed that eighty-two Ukrainian servicemen have been captured or surrendered to Russian forces over the past week. "Over a week, 82 Ukrainian troops have either been captured or voluntarily surrendered, with 25 of them over the past day alone," the military said.
According to the ministry, as many as 550 planes, 258 helicopters, 9,696 unmanned aerial vehicles, 442 air defense systems, 14,078 tanks and other armored vehicles, 1,188 multiple rocket launch systems, 7,338 artillery systems and mortars, and 16,1336 special military cars have been destroyed since the beginning of the special military operation.
WESTERN PERSPECTIVE
Ukraine shoots downs 30 Russian drones over 11 regions -air force
Ukraine's air defence and mobile groups of drone hunters shot down 30 out of 31 Russian drones over 11 regions across the country on Saturday, the air force said.
A series of explosions resounded throughout the Ukrainian capital Kyiv as air defence units engaged Russian drones, Reuters witnesses said.
"This is the sixth air attack on Kyiv since the start of the month," said Serhiy Popko, head of the city's military administration.
"Tonight, after three days of ballistic threats, the enemy again launched Shaheds on the capital. The drones attacked in groups, in waves, and from different directions," Popko said.
There were no casualties and no major damage reported in Kyiv, Popko said.
The Ukrainian air force said the Russian military launched Iranian-made Shahed drones from three different directions in Russia targeting 11 different regions in the centre, north and south of the country.
The air force said in a statement on the Telegram messaging app that fighter jets, anti-aircraft missile units and mobile fire groups of drone hunters repelled the Russian drone attack.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said anti-aircraft units went into action as groups of the Russian drones flew across the outskirts of the city and targeted areas near the city centre.
Anti-aircraft activity was heavy, Klitschko said, in the Darnytskyi district on the east bank of the Dnipro and explosions also struck historic Podil on the opposite bank.
The Reuters witnesses reported loud blasts just after midnight. A new series of explosions over the next 45 minutes also hit areas near Kyiv's central districts.
Overnight air alerts in many Ukraine regions lasted for about five hours.
Russian drone attacks on Ukrainian cities and regions have become increasingly frequent. Ukrainian officials have said Russia is targeting the nation's power and energy infrastructure during and ahead of the critical cold months of winter.
Tass/Reuters
