Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation (21 January 2024)
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation.
In Kupyansk direction, as a result of the successful actions of the Zapad Group of Forces units, Krakhmalnoye (Kharkov region) was liberated.
The Group’s aviation and artillery repelled seven attacks launched by units of the AFU 25th, 32nd, 60th mechanised brigades, and 1st Ukrainian National Guard Brigade near Sinkovka (Kharkov region), Terni (Donetsk People’s Republic), and Kolomyichikha (Lugansk People’s Republic).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 55 Ukrainian troops and two motor vehicles.
In Krasny Liman direction, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces supported by artillery repelled three attacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 21st and 63rd mechanised brigades near Yampolovka (Donetsk People’s Republic) and Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People’s Republic).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 80 Ukrainian troops, three motor vehicles, and one D-20 howitzer.
In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces supported by artillery repelled two attacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 47th Mechanised Brigade and 5th Assault Brigade near Kirovo and Kleshcheyevka (Donetsk People’s Republic).
Moreover, manpower and hardware of the AFU 81st Airmobile Brigade, 22nd, 24th, 28th, and 93rd mechanised brigades were struck near Grigorovka, Belogorovka, Krasnoye, Andreyevka, and Kurdyumovka (Donetsk People’s Republic).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 310 Ukrainian troops, one tank, two armoured fighting vehicles, seven motor vehicles, one D-20 howitzer, and one Grad MLRS combat vehicle.
In South Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces supported by aviation and artillery repelled one attack launched by an assault detachment of the AFU 72nd Mechanised Brigade near Novomikhailovka (Donetsk People’s Republic).
Manpower of the AFU 79th Air Assault Brigade was struck near Paraskoveyevka (Donetsk People’s Republic).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 70 Ukrainian troops, two motor vehicles, and one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system.
In Zaporozhye direction, units of the Russian Group of Forces supported by artillery inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 117th Mechanised Brigade, 128th Mountain Assault Brigade, and 3rd Ukrainian National Guard Brigade near Verbovoye, Rabotino, Pyatikhatki, and Nesteryanka (Zaporozhye region).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 30 Ukrainian troops, two motor vehicles, and one D-20 howitzer.
In Kherson direction, as a result of strikes at units of the AFU 35th Marines Brigade, 23rd Ukrainian National Guard Brigade, and 123rd Territorial Defence Brigade near Novotyaginka, Stanislav (Kherson region) and Solonchaki (Nikolaev region), up to 20 Ukrainian troops and four motor vehicles were wiped out.
Missile Troops and Artillery, attack unmanned aerial vehicles of the Groups of Forces of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation obliterated one ammunition depot of the AFU 31st Mechanised Brigade, struck a temporary deployment area of foreign mercenaries near Konstantinovka (Donetsk People’s Republic), neutralised 127 AFU artillery units at firing positions, as well as engaged manpower and hardware in 129 areas during the day.
Air defence units intercepted one Tochka-U tactical missile, two U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS projectiles over the past 24 hours.
Moreover, 43 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles have been shot down close to Velikiy Vyselok, Liman Perviy (Kharkov region), Verkhnekamenka, Belogorovka, Shipilovka (Lugansk People’s Republic), Spornoye, Soledar (Donetsk People’s Republic), Peschanovka, Podlesnoye, Podstepnoye (Kherson region), and Kamenka-Dneprovskaya (Zaporozhye region).
In total, 567 airplanes and 265 helicopters, 10,957 unmanned aerial vehicles, 450 air defence missile systems, 14,708 tanks and other armoured combat vehicles, 1,203 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 7,799 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 17,698 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.