Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation (12.00 18 February 2024)
On 17 February, during offensive operations, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces have completely liberated Avdeevka (Donetsk People’s Republic) and advanced to a depth of 8.6 kilometres.
The total area of the liberated territory was 31.75 square kilometres. The enemy losses were more than 1,500 troops.
In Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces have actively defeated 14th and 66th mechanised brigades of the AFU close to Sinkovka, Petropavlovka, and Ivanovka (Kharkov region).
The enemy losses were up to 40 servicemen, one tank, three armoured personnel carriers, and three pickup trucks.
In addition, during counter-battery warfare, one Polish-manufactured Krab self-propelled artillery system, two D-20 howitzers, two Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems, and one D-30 howitzer.
In Krasny Liman direction, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces have defeated 63rd mechanised and 25th airborne brigades of the AFU near Yampolovka (Donetsk People’s Republic) and Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People’s Republic).
The enemy losses were up to 100 troops, one tank, three armoured fighting vehicles, and four motor vehicles.
In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces have improved Russian positions along the front line and defeated manpower and hardware of 42nd, 93rd mechanised, and 81st airmobile brigades of the AFU close to Belogorovka (Lugansk People’s Republic), Krasnoye, and Kleshcheevka (Donetsk People’s Republic).
The enemy losses were up to 400 troops, two tanks, three infantry fighting vehicles, four armoured fighting vehicles, six motor vehicles, Msta-B, D-20 and D-30 howitzers, as well as one Strela-10 surface-to-air missile system.
In South Donetsk direction, as a result of active operations by units of the Vostok Group of Forces, units of the AFU 58th Infantry Brigade and the 127th Brigade of the Territorial Defence of Ukraine have been defeated near Urozhaynoye (Donetsk People’s Republic) and Priyutnoye (Zaporozhye region).
The enemy losses were more than 190 troops, two tanks, two armoured fighting vehicles, and three motor vehicles.
In the course of counter-battery warfare, one Polish-manufactured Krab self-propelled artillery system, two British-manufactured FH-70 howitzers, two Msta-B howitzers, and one Rapira anti-tank gun have been hit.
In Kherson direction, units of the Dnepr Group of Forces have taken more favourable positions and defeated enemy manpower and hardware close to Rabotino, Verbovoye (Zaporozhye region), Lvovo, and Tyaginka (Kherson region).
The enemy losses were up to 70 servicemen, one infantry fighting vehicle, and three motor vehicles.
One U.S.-manufactured M777 artillery system, one Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer, and one U.S.-manufactured AN/TPQ-48 counter-battery radar station have been destroyed.
Operational-Tactical Aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have hit the control point of the 31st Mechanised Brigade of the AFU near Zhelannoye (Donetsk People’s Republic), fuel and ammunition depots, as well as manpower and military hardware in 128 areas.
Air defence facilities have shot down four projectiles launched by HIMARS MLRS.
In addition, 105 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles have been hit close to Ivanovka (Kharkov region), Kremennaya, Kalinovka (Lugansk People’s Republic), Styla, Semigorye, and Verkhnetoretskoye (Donetsk People’s Republic), Lyubimovka, Chervonogorka, and Mirnoye (Zaporozhye region).
In total, 571 airplanes and 266 helicopters, 12,723 unmanned aerial vehicles, 470 air defence missile systems, 15,098 tanks and other armoured combat vehicles, 1,222 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 8,091 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 18,801 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.