Shoygu present report on offensive in Luhansk to Putin

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu on Monday reported details of offensive in Ukraine's Luhansk region to the country's President Vladimir Putin.

Speaking at a meeting with Putin in Kremlin, Shoygu said 670 square kilometers of territory, 25 settlements, went under Russia's control in what he called "an operation to liberate the territory of the Luhansk People's Republic."

"The total losses of the armed forces of Ukraine made up to 5,469 people, including irretrievable -- 2,218, sanitary -- 3,251. Also 196 tanks and other armored vehicles, 12 aircraft, one helicopter, 69 unmanned aerial vehicles, six long-range anti-aircraft missile systems, 97 multiple rocket launchers, 166 field and mortar artillery guns, 216 cars for various purposes (were destroyed)," Shoygu told Putin.

In a separate statement Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov claimed Ukraine's military commanders lost control over four of its units -- the 10th mountain assault, the 72th and 115th mechanized and the 118th territorial defense brigades, retreating from Luhansk region.

He added that "the opponent suffers severe losses," about 200 soldiers were killed over the past day.

Konashenkov said a Su-25 fighter jet was downed in an air battle, while the Russian air defense systems shot down eight unmanned aerial vehicles.

"In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, 230 aircraft, 134 helicopters, 1,448 unmanned aerial vehicles, 353 air defense systems, 3,904 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 706 multiple rocket launcher combat vehicles, 3,084 field artillery and mortar guns, as well as 4,002 units of special military vehicles have been destroyed," Konashenkov said.

More than 4,700 civilians have been killed in Ukraine since the war with Russia started on Feb. 24.

Over 14 million people have been forced to flee their homes, including more than 7.7 million that have fled to other countries, according to UN figures.