Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation (23 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 inflicted losses on AFU manpower and hardware near Sinkovka, Petropavlovka, Kupyansk, and Terni (Kharkov region).
The AFU losses amounted to up 15 Ukrainian troops, two motor vehicles, and one D-30 howitzer.
In Krasny Liman direction, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces repelled two attacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 63rd Mechanised Brigade and 12th Special Operations Brigade close to Torskoye (Donetsk People’s Republic) and Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People’s Republic).
In addition, aviation and artillery inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 67th Mechanised Brigade near Serebryansky forestry.
The AFU losses amounted to up 150 Ukrainian troops, one tank, two armoured personnel carriers, and one D-30 howitzer.
In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces supported by aviation and artillery repelled 11 attacks and inflicted losses on AFU manpower and hardware close to Krasnoye, Dyleyevka, Kirovo, and Georgiyevka (Donetsk People’s Republic).
The AFU losses in this direction amounted to up to 200 Ukrainian troops, four tanks, including one German-made Leopard 2 tank, one U.S.-made Bradley infantry fighting vehicle, and three motor vehicles.
Moreover, in the course of counterbattery warfare, one Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery system, two Msta-B howitzers, one Akatsiya and one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems, and two D-30 howitzers were neutralised.
In South Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces supported by helicopters and artillery repelled three attacks of the AFU 79th Air Assault Brigade near Novomikhailovka (Donetsk People’s Republic) and inflicted losses on AFU manpower and hardware near Paraskoveyevka and Makarovka (Donetsk People’s Republic).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 65 Ukrainian troops, three pickup trucks, one Akatsiya and one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems, and two D-30 howitzers.
In Zaporozhye direction, units of the Russian Group of Forces supported by aviation and artillery inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 82nd Air Assault Brigade, 33rd and 117th mechanised brigades close to Malaya Tokmachka, Verbovoye, and Rabotino (Zaporozhye region).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 90 Ukrainian troops and five motor vehicles.
In Kherson direction, as a result of cohesive actions of units of the Russian Group of Forces supported by aviation and artillery, the AFU losses amounted to up to 100 Ukrainian troops, three motor vehicles, one Msta-B howitzer, and one D-30 howitzer.
Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, and Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces have engaged AFU manpower and hardware in 110 areas during the day.
Air defence units intercepted six HIMARS and Uragan MLRS projectiles over the past 24 hours.
Moreover, 36 unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down near Kotlyarovka (Kharkov region), Verkhnekamenka, Svatovo (Lugansk People’s Republic), Gorlovka, Mariynka, Pobeda (Donetsk People’s Republic), Novaya Mayachka and Gornostayevka (Zaporozhye region).
In total, 554 airplanes and 261 helicopters, 9,991 unmanned aerial vehicles, 442 air defence missile systems, 14,279 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,189 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 7,462 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 16,618 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.
