Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation (20 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 artillery repelled five attacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 115nd Mechanised Brigade and 95th Air Assault Brigade near Sinkovka and Terni (Kharkov region).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 40 Ukrainian troops, two infantry fighting vehicles, two pickup trucks, as well as one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system.
In Krasny Liman direction, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces supported by artillery repelled two attacks of the AFU 63rd Mechanised Brigade close to Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People’s Republic), and Torskoye (Donetsk People’s Republic).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 180 Ukrainian troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, three motor vehicles, as well as one D-30 howitzer.
In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces supported by artillery repelled one attack launched by assault detachments of the AFU 24th Mechanised Brigade close to Shumy (Donetsk People’s Republic).
In addition, the Group’s artillery and heavy flamethrower systems inflicted losses on AFU manpower and hardware near Kleshcheyevka, Kurdyumovka, and Maryinka (Donetsk People’s Republic).
The AFU losses in this direction amounted to up to 250 Ukrainian troops killed and wounded, one tank, and three motor vehicles.
In the course of counterbattery warfare, one Slovakia-made Zuzana 2 self-propelled artillery system, one UK-made AS-90 self-propelled artillery system, two Msta-B howitzers, two Akatsiya self-propelled artillery systems, one D-30 howitzer, and one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system were eliminated.
In South Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces supported by artillery and heavy flamethrower systems inflicted losses on manpower of the AFU 72nd Mechanised Brigade and 79th Air Assault Brigade near Elizavetovka, Vladimirovka, and Novomikhailovka (Donetsk People’s Republic).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 110 Ukrainian troops, two pickup trucks, and two Akatsiya self-propelled artillery systems.
In Zaporozhye direction, units of the Russian Group of Forces supported by aviation and artillery inflicted losses on manpower and hardware clusters of the AFU 14th National Guard Brigade, 82nd Air Assault Brigade, and 116th Mechanised brigade close to Verbovoye and Rabotino (Zaporozhye region).
The AFU losses in this direction amounted to up to 70 Ukrainian troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, four motor vehicles, two D-20 howitzers, and one D-30 howitzer.
In Kherson direction, as a result of cohesive actions of units of the Russian Group of Forces supported by artillery, the AFU losses amounted to up to 75 Ukrainian troops killed and wounded, two motor vehicles, two Msta-B howitzers, one Giatsint-B howitzer, and one Gvozdika self-propelled 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 127 areas during the day.
Air defence units intercepted one Ukrianian Air Force Mi-24 helicopter near Uglesborochnaya railway station (Donetsk People’s Republic).
Five U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS projectiles were intercepted in the past 24 hours. Moreover, 32 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down close to Novaya Mayachka (Kherson region), Staromikhailovka, Spornoye, Krasnogorovka, Maryinka (Donetsk People’s Republic), Belogorovka and Nyrkovo (Lugansk People’s Republic).
In total, 553 airplanes and 260 helicopters, 9,899 unmanned aerial vehicles, 442 air defence missile systems, 14,202 tanks and other armoured combat vehicles, 1,189 combat vehicles equipped with MRLS, 7,416 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 16,502 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.