Russia claims shooting down 1 Ukrainian helicopter, 1 transport aircraft, 13 drones

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russia claimed on Thursday that one Mi-24 combat helicopter, one military transport aircraft, and 13 unmanned aerial vehicles of the Ukrainian armed forces were shot down Wednesday night.

All aircraft were hit by the Russian air defense systems, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said at a press briefing in Moscow.

The spokesman added that additional strikes were carried out, using high-precision air-based missiles, as a result, 48 areas of concentration of manpower and military equipment, two artillery batteries, two ammunition depots, a center of electronic intelligence, a launcher of Osa-AKM, and the radar of an S-300 air defense systems were destroyed.

Meanwhile, the aviation hit nine areas of concentration of Ukraine's manpower and military equipment, two mortar crews, as well as a warehouse of rocket and artillery weapons and ammunition, he noted.

"In total, as a result of airstrikes, more than 350 nationalists were destroyed, 96 units of weapons and military equipment were disabled," Konashenkov said.

The rocket forces and artillery struck 62 control points, 407 areas of concentration of manpower and military equipment, 47 artillery and mortar units in firing positions, three ammunition depots, a railway shipment of weapons, ammunition, military equipment, and a manpower reinforcement, he noted.

"In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, 179 aircraft, 127 helicopters, 1,019 unmanned aerial vehicles, 323 anti-aircraft missile systems, 3,266 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 433 multiple rocket launchers, 1,682 field artillery and mortar guns, as well as 3,190 units of special military vehicles have been destroyed," the spokesman said.

At least 3,974 civilians have been killed and 4,654 injured since the war began on Feb. 24, according to UN estimates. The true toll is believed to be much higher.

Nearly 6.6 million people have fled to other countries, while more than 7.7 million have been internally displaced, according to the UN refugee agency.