Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation (18 August 2023)
In Donetsk direction, active and coordinated actions of the Yug Group of Forces supported by ground-attack and army aviation reflected three AFU attacks close to Avdeyevka, Berestooye, and Maryinka (Donetsk People’s Republic).
The enemy’s losses have amounted to around 220 Ukrainian troops killed and wounded, three armoured fighting vehicles, five motor vehicles, one U.S.-made M-777 artillery system, one D-20 howitzer, and two Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems.
Furthermore, three ammunition supply points of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were obliterated near Dyleyevka, Dzerzhinsk, and Novopokrovskoye (Donetsk People’s Republic).
In South Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces, strikes of Operational-Tactical Aviation, artillery, and heavy flamethrowers repelled an enemy’s attack close to Nikolskoye (Donetsk People’s Republic), and inflicted fire damage on the AFU units near Urozhainoye and Staromayorskoye (Donetsk People’s Republic).
Up to 210 Ukrainian servicemen, two infantry fighting vehicles, two armoured combat vehicles, three motor vehicles, one U.S.-made M777 artillery systems, and one MT-12 Rapira anti-tank gun have been neutralised during the day.
In Kupyansk direction, artillery and Army Aviation of the Zapad Group of Forces successfully repelled seven attacks and counter-attacks of the enemy close to Novosyolovskoye (Lugansk People’s Republic), Sinkovka, Olshana, and Mankovka Urochische (Kharkov region).
A munition depot of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was annihilated close to Kamenka (Kharkov region).
Total enemy losses in this direction amounted to up to 75 Ukrainian servicemen, three armoured fighting vehicles, two pick-up trucks, and one Polish-made Krab self-propelled system.
In Krasny Liman direction, the Tsentr Group of Forces, army aviation, and artillery repelled two enemy attacks close to Grigorovka (Donetsk People’s Republic) and Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People’s Republic).
Up to 80 Ukrainian personnel, three armoured fighting vehicles, and two pick-up trucks have been eliminated.
The Russian grouping of forces supported by artillery close to Rabotino (Zaporozhye region) repelled two attacks of the enemy and disable one sabotage and reconnaissance unit in Zaporozhye direction.
Up to 195 Ukrainian troops, two infantry fighting vehicles, three motor vehicles, one Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery system, one U.S.-made M777 artillery system, and one U.K.-made L119 howitzer have been neutralised during the day.
In Kherson direction, the enemy suffered losses of up to 30 Ukrainian troops, three motor vehicles, and one AN/TPQ-37 counterbattery radar station as a result of fire damage.
Operational-Tactical Aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian grouping of troops engaged manpower, and military hardware of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 143 areas.
Fighter aviation of Russian Aerospace Forces has shot down one Su-25 aircraft of Ukrainian Air Force near Verolyubovka (Donetsk People’s Republic).
Air defence systems have shot down a Su-25 airplane of Ukrainian Air Force near Malaya Tokmachka (Zaporozhye region).
In addition, 26 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles have been shot down close to Verkhnyaya Duvanka, Kremennaya, Privolye, Lisichansk (Lugansk People’s Republic), Berestovoye, Krasnaya Gora, Volodino, Orlinskoye (Donetsk People’s Republic), Lyubimovka, Rabotino, and Tokmak (Zaporozhye region).
In total, 461 airplanes and 246 helicopters, 5,831 unmanned aerial vehicles, 431 air defence missile systems, 11,366 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,144 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 5,928 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 12,307 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.
