By Elena Teslova and Ruslan Rehimov
MOSCOW / KYIV, Ukraine (AA) - The Russian Defense Ministry on Wednesday claimed that it has disabled a railway line used by the Ukrainian military to supply its troops in Donbas with the weapons sent by the US and other Western countries.
Speaking at a press briefing in Moscow, Igor Konashenkov, a ministry spokesman, said that Russian forces also hit a number of other objects of Ukraine's military infrastructure last night.
According to him, the strikes of high-precision air-based missiles destroyed a launcher of Tochka-U rocket system, three guiding systems of S-300 air defense system, an ammunition depot and nine areas of concentration of military equipment and manpower.
The aviation hit 40 military facilities, including a pontoon crossing, four ammunition depots and rocket and artillery weapons, 34 areas of concentration of manpower and military equipment, Konashenkov went on to say.
The Strategic Rocket Forces struck two command points, a battery of BM-21 Grad multiple launch rocket systems, a battery of 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled artillery installations, a battery of D-30 howitzers, as well as four areas of concentration of manpower and military equipment, he added.
"The artillery hit 476 strongholds of nationalist units, areas of concentration of manpower and military equipment. Up to 310 personnel and 53 units of military equipment were eliminated," he said.
The air defense systems shot down nine unmanned aerial vehicles and four rocket projectiles of the Smerch multiple launch rocket system, the spokesman said.
"In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, 146 aircraft, 112 helicopters, 706 unmanned aerial vehicles, 287 anti-aircraft missile systems, 2,807 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 321 multiple rocket launchers, 1,279 field artillery and mortars, as well as 2,609 units of special military vehicles have been destroyed," he added.
- Ukraine claims to have killed 24,500 Russian soldiers
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian military on Wednesday claimed to have killed at least 24,500 Russian soldiers since the beginning of the war on Feb. 24.
The Ukrainian troops destroyed 1,077 Russian tanks, 2,610 armored personnel vehicles, 491 artillery systems, 163 multiple launch rocket systems, the Ukrainian General Staff said in a statement.
The Ukrainian forces also destroyed 194 aircraft, 155 helicopters, 303 UAVs, 10 naval vessels, among other weapon systems, the statement added.
At least 3,193 civilians have been killed and 3,353 others injured in Ukraine since the war with Russia began on Feb. 24, according to UN estimates. The true toll is feared to be much higher.
More than 5.5 million people have fled to other countries, with some 7.7 million people internally displaced, data from the UN refugee agency shows.
- Belarus launches surprise combat readiness check
In a statement, the Belarusian Defense Ministry announced the launch of a surprise combat readiness check of the country's armed forces.
"The purpose of the inspection is to assess the readiness and ability of personnel to respond promptly to crisis situations. Military units and subunits will operate on unfamiliar terrain in a rapidly changing environment," the ministry said.
It added that the group of forces, taking part in the exercises, which have "a complex character," will be gradually increased.
"The events being held are one of the most effective forms of training troops and do not pose any threat to the European community as a whole, or to neighboring countries in particular," the ministry stressed.
It warned that the drill suggests the movement of a large number of military equipment, which may cause traffic jam on public roads, and asked the drivers and pedestrians to be "utterly attentive" and take into account the weather conditions and visibility while using roads.