Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation - 2023-08-16

▫️ The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation. ▫️ In Kupyansk direction, the assault detachments of the Zapad Group of Forces carried out offensive actions in the assigned areas of responsibility and improved the situation along the front line. ▫️ With the support of aviation and artillery fire, nine attacks by assault groups of the 14th, 32nd, 44th mechanised and 95th Air Assault Brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were repelled close to Novoselovskoye and Stelmakhovka (Lugansk People’s Republic), Olshana and Sinkovka (Kharkov region). The enemy losses were up to 85 Ukrainian servicemen, two armoured fighting vehicles, four pick-up trucks, as well as self-propelled artillery systems: one M109 Paladin and one Polish-made Krab guns. ▫️ In the Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces, in close co-operation with aviation and artillery, repelled five attacks by Ukrainian Armed Forces near Krasnogorovka and Nevelskoye (Donetsk People’s Republic). ▫️ In addition, an ammunition depot of the 24th Mechanised Brigade of the AFU was destroyed near the town of Toretsk (Donetsk People’s Republic). The enemy’s losses in this direction amounted to up to 250 Ukrainian troops, three infantry fighting vehicles, four vehicles, one M777 artillery system, two D-20 howitzers, and one AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery radar station. ▫️ In Krasny Liman direction, professional actions of the Tsentr Group of Forces, strikes by army aviation and artillery fire repelled an attack by assault groups of the 67th Mechanised Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near Kuzmino (Lugansk People’s Republic). Up to 55 Ukrainian troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, three motor vehicles, and one D-30 howitzer were destroyed. ▫️ In South Donetsk direction, the Vostok Group of Forces, air strikes, artillery fire, and heavy flamethrowers inflicted a combined strike on the enemy near Staromayorskoye (Donetsk People’s Republic). The enemy’s losses amounted to over 140 Ukrainian troops, two tanks, three armoured fighting vehicles, three motor vehicles, as well as one American-made M109 Paladin self-propelled artillery system during the day. ▫️ In Zaporozhye direction, the Russian grouping of forces, supported by army aviation and artillery, repelled two attacks by assault units of the 82nd Air Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces close to Rabotino and Verbovoye (Zaporozhye region). ▫️ In addition, two ammunition depots of the 117th Mechanised Brigade of the AFU close to Kirovo (Zaporozhye region) were hit. During the day, the enemy’s losses were up to 170 Ukrainian troops, three armoured fighting vehicles, two motor vehicles, and one M777 artillery system. ▫️ Up to 35 Ukrainian servicemen, as well as five motor vehicles, were destroyed as a result of fire in Kherson direction during the day. ▫️ Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Group of Forces have engaged AFU manpower and hardware in 143 areas during the day. ▫️ In addition, an ST-68 radar station for the detection, identification, and tracking of aerial targets was destroyed close to Pervomaiskoye (Nikolayev region). ▫️ A command post of the AFU 72nd Mechanised Brigade was eliminated close to Paraskoveyevka (Donetsk People’s Republic). ▫️ Air defence systems have shot down one Su-25 airplane of Ukrainian Air Force near Novotroitskoye (Donetsk People’s Republic). ▫️ In addition, four HIMARS and two Uragan projectiles have been intercepted during the day. ▫️ Moreover, 26 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles have been downed close to Tavolzhanka, Tokarevka (Kharkov region), Severodonetsk, Lisichansk, Svatovo (Lugansk People’s Republic), Spornoye, Volnovakha, Gorlovka, and Makeyevka (Donetsk People’s Republic). 📊 In total, 459 airplanes and 246 helicopters, 5,787 unmanned aerial vehicles, 431 air defence missile systems, 11,330 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,144 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 5,901 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 12,267 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.