Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation - 2024-01-05

In the period from 30 December 2023 to 5 January 2024, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation carried out 41 group and one massive strikes with high-precision weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles on decision-making centres, objects of the Ukrainian military industrial complex, military airfield infrastructure, arsenals, and fuel bases. Attacks were also carried out against the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, nationalist formations, and foreign mercenaries. All the assigned targets have been engaged. ▫️ Over the past week, units of the Zapad Group of Forces have repelled 18 attacks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Kupyansk direction. Air strikes and artillery fire defeated the enemy’s manpower and equipment close to Ivanovka, Berestovoye, Vishnyovoye, Kupyansk, Peschanoye, Petropavlovka, Sinkovka, Terny, Timkovka (Kharkov region), Novosyolovskoye and Stelmakhovka (Lugansk People’s Republic). The enemy’s losses amounted to more than 485 troops, six tanks(including one Leopard-2), 11 armoured fighting vehicles, 24 motor vehicles, seven Olkha and Czech-made Vampire MLRS launchers, as well as eight field artillery guns. In addition, three ammunition and fuel depots of the AFU were destroyed. ▫️ In Krasny Liman direction, the Tsentr Group of Forces in cooperation with Operational-Tactical and Army aviation and artillery has repelled four attacks launched by the enemy. Clusters of manpower of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were hit close to Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People’s Republic), Torskoye, Grigorovka (Donetsk People’s Republic) and Serebryansky forestry. The enemy’s losses totalled over 690 Ukrainian troops killed and wounded, two tanks, 11 armoured fighting vehicles, 24 motor vehicles, and five field artillery guns. ▫️ In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces supported by aircraft and artillery have repelled nine attacks launched by the enemy. AFU’s losses over the past period in this area amounted to more than 1,990 troops killed and wounded, four tanks, 17 armored fighting vehicles (including two Bradley IFVs), 64 motor vehicles, and 26 field artillery guns. ▫️ In South Donetsk direction, the Vostok Group of Forces has repelled five attacks launched by the enemy. Air and artillery strikes hit Ukrainian Armed Forces units near Vodyanoye, Makarovka, Paraskoviyevka, Staromayorskoye, Ugledar, Urozhaynoye (Donetsk People’s Republic) and Priyutnoye (Zaporozhye region). The enemy losses in this direction were more than 950 troops, 12 armoured fighting vehicles, 27 motor vehicles, and 17 field artillery guns. ▫️ In Zaporozhye direction, the Russian troops repelled the enemy’s attack north of Novoprokopovka (Zaporozhye region). Moreover, the AFU’s military personnel and hardware were hit by fire near Verbovoye, Orekhov, Kamenskoye, Lukyanovskoye, Novodanilovka, and Rabotino (Zaporozhye region). The enemy losses were more than 350 troops, one tank, 15 armoured fighting vehicles, 18 motor vehicles, and eight field artillery guns. ▫️ In Kherson direction, the Dnepr Group of Forces in cooperation with the artillery defeated the enemy’s manpower on the right bank of the Dnepr River close to Tyaginka, Ivanovka, Sadovoye, and Tokarevka (Kherson region). As a result of the Russian troops’ actions, the Armed Forces of Ukraine lost up to 225 troops killed and wounded in this direction. In addition, the following were eliminated: one tank, two armored fighting vehicles, 28 motor vehicles, 14 boats, one Buk-M1 SAM launcher, 11 field artillery guns, one electronic warfare station, and one ammunition depot. During the week, 13 Ukrainian servicemen surrendered (including eight people in Kupyansk direction). Over the past period, Missile Troops and Artillery, Operational-Tactical Aviation and unmanned aerial vehicles of the Russian Groups of Forces destroyed: three HIMARS and Olkha MLRS launchers, one S-200 SAM launcher, one radar of the S-300 SAM system, one ST-68 radar station for detecting and tracking low-altitude targets, as well as two counter-battery radar stations. Russia’s air defence units have shot down one Su-27 aircraft and one Mi-8 helicopter of the Ukrainian Air Force during the past week. In addition, eight Storm Shadow cruise missiles, 14 Tochka-U tactical missiles, three S-200 converted surface-to-surface systems, 107 HIMARS, Olkha, and Vampire MLRS systems, three HARM anti-radar missiles, and 253 unmanned aerial vehicles were eliminated. 📊 In total, 565 airplanes and 264 helicopters, 10,459 unmanned aerial vehicles, 447 air defence missile systems, 14,483 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,200 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 7,639 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 17,100 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.