⚡️Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation

(31 December 2023)

▫️ The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation.

▫️ In Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces, supported by helicopters and artillery, repelled four attacks by assault detachments of the 30th and 115th mechanised brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Sinkovka (Kharkov region). In addition, manpower of the 1st Operational Brigade of the Ukrainian National Guard was defeated near Stelmakhovka (Lugansk People's Republic).

Up to 120 Ukrainian troops, one Leopard-2 tank, two infantry fighting vehicles, and two motor vehicles were neutralised. During the counter-battery warfare, two U.S.-made M777 artillery systems were hit. Also, on the north-eastern outskirts of Kharkov, a POL depot of the 74th Support Centre of the AFU was neutralised.

▫️ In Krasny Liman direction, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces, supported by artillery and aviation, repelled an attack launched by a unit of the 63rd Mechanised Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People's Republic). Russian troops inflicted damage on enemy's manpower clusters close to Serebryansky forestry.

The enemy losses were up to 50 troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, and three pick-up trucks.

▫️ In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces, in cooperation with Operational-Tactical Aviation and artillery, repelled three attacks of assault groups of the 56th motorised infantry, 24th mechanised, and 80th air assault brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Bogdanovka and Georgiyevka (Donetsk People's Republic). Enemy's manpower clusters near Bogdanovka, Krasnoye, Kleshcheyevka, Andreyevka, and Kurdyumovka (Donetsk People's Republic) were hit.

The total enemy losses in this direction amounted to 300 troops, two armored fighting vehicles, as well as four motor vehicles. In addition, during the counter-battery warfare, the Russian Armed Forces hit one U.S.-made M777 artillery system, one Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery system, one D-30 gun, one U.S.-made M119 howitzer, as well as one U.S.-made AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery radar.

▫️ In South-Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces, in cooperation with artillery, repelled one attack launched by an assault group of the 127th Territorial Defence Brigade close to Priyutnoye (Zaporozhye region), and inflicted fire damage on manpower of the 79th Air Assault brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the vicinity of Novomikhailovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

The enemy's losses amounted to 100 troops and two motor vehicles.

In the course of counter-battery warfare, Russian troops hit one German-made FH70 howitzer, one Msta-B howitzer, and one D-30 gun.

▫️In Zaporozhye direction, units of the Russian Group of Forces, with the support of artillery and aviation, hit manpower and military hardware of the 118th mechanised and 82nd air assault brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Rabotino and Verbovoye (Zaporozhye region).
The AFU lost up to 75 servicemen killed and wounded, two armored fighting vehicles, three pick-up trucks, and two D-30 howitzers. ▫️In Kherson direction, Russian troops and artillery fire inflicted losses on the AFU amounting to 25 servicemen, three motor vehicles, and one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system. 

▫️Operational-Tactical Aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Groups of Forces of the Russian Armed Forces neutralised three MLRS launchers, including two HIMARS and one Alder MLRS, close to Selidovo (Donetsk People's Republic) and Glubokoye (Kharkov region), one radar of the S-300 SAM system near Sanzheyka (Odessa region), aviation equipment in hangars at the Dnepr airfield (Dnepropetrovsk region) and Shkolny airfield (Odessa region).

Moreover, fuel and ammunition depots of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Zaporozhye and the Belaya Tserkov, manpower and military hardware in 133 areas were hit. ▫️Air defence systems intercepted 14 HIMARS and Olkha MLRS projectiles during the day. In addition, 31 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were neutralised near Spornoye, Volnovakha, Volodino (Donetsk People's Republic), Stelmakhovka, Verkhnekamenka, Golikovo, Nyrkovo (Lugansk People's Republic), Vasilyevka (Kherson region), and Ulyanovka (Zaporozhye region).  

📊In total, 564 airplanes and 263 helicopters, 10,272 unmanned aerial vehicles, 445 air defence missile systems, 14,412 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,194 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 7,578 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 16,905 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.