⚡️ Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation

(16–22 December 2023)

▫️ In the period from 16 to 22 Dec 2023, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation inflicted 39 group strikes with high-precision weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles on the military airfield infrastructure, air navigation aids, POL bases storage sites for artillery ammunition, weapons and military hardware of the enemy .

Moreover, drone-launching and -training centres, command and control posts and deployment areas of AFU troops, foreign mercenaries, and nationalist formations were hit. All the assigned targets have been engaged.

▫️ In Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces repelled 53 enemy attacks. The 14th, 43rd, 60th, 115th mechanised and 95th Air Assault brigades of the AFU were defeated by air strikes and artillery fire close to Sinkovka and Olshana (Kharkov reg).

The enemy losses amounted to more than 355 UKR troops, 4 tanks including 2 Leopard tanks, 19 armoured fighting vehics, 13 motor vehics & 12 field artill guns.

▫️ In Krasny Liman direction, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces with support of aviation and artillery fire repelled 13 attacks of assault groups of the AFU. In addition, the 24th, 63rd, and 116th mechd brigs of the AFU & the 12th special brigade of the UKR Natl Guard were engaged close to Chervonaya Dibrova, Petrovskoye & Kuzmino (LPR) and Torskoye (DPR).

During the week the enemy lost up to 1,155 troops killed and wounded, one tank, 19 armoured fighting vehicles, 21 motor vehics & 7 field artill guns.

▫️ Donetsk direction, the Yug Group of Forces, supported by air and artillery fire, improved their position along the front line in certain areas. They repelled 43 attacks launched by assault groups of the AFU's 24th Mechanised & 79th Air Assault Brigades near Shumy, Belogorovka, and Maryinka (DPR). Fire was also launched at units of the 28th, 30th, 42nd, 93rd mechanised & 57th motorised infantry brigs of the AFU near Kurdyumovka, Kleshcheyevka, Krasnoye, and Andreyevka (DPR).

Enemy losses in this direction over the past period were over 1,610 killed and wounded, three tanks, 17 armoured fighting vehicles, one HIMARS launcher, 24 motor vehicles & 44 field artillery guns.

▫️ S Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces repelled ten enemy attacks. Air strikes and artillery fire hit units of the AFU's 58th motorised infantry, 72nd mechd, 79th air assault, 127th and 128th Territorial DEF brigs near Novomikhailovka, Urozhaynoe, Staromayorskoye (DPR) and Priyutnoe (Zaporozhye reg).

The enemy losses were more than 670 troops, 2 tanks, 6 armoured fight vehics, 19 motor vehics & 12 field artill guns.

▫️ Zaporozhye direction, units of the RU Armed Forces continued active defence, repelling 6 enemy attacks near Rabotino & Verbovoye (Zaporozhye reg). Fire damage was inflicted on personnel & military hardware of the 33rd, 65th, 116, 117, 118th mechd, 128th mountain assault, 82nd airborne & 14th Natl Guard battalions of the AFU close to Novodanilovka, Malaya Tokmachka, Nesteryanka & Novoprokopovka (Zaporozhye reg).Enemy losses were up to 390 troops killed & wounded, 1 tank, 5 armoured fight vehics, 19 motor vehicles & 10 field artill guns. 

▫️ In Kherson direction, all the attempts launched by the enemy sabotage groups to land on the islands & on the left bank of the Dnieper Rr were thwarted.

Air strikes & artill fire defeated units of the AFU 36th and 37th Marine brigades close to Tyaginka and Belozerka (Kherson reg).
The AFU lost up to 510 troops killed & wounded, 1 tank, 37 motor vehicles, 24 boats & 20 field artillery guns as a result of the actions of the RU troops in this direction. 

▫️ Russian AD systs shot down 4 enemy airplanes during the week: 1 Su-27, 2 MiG-29 & 1 Su-25; as well as 3 helicopters: 2 Mi-24 & 1 Mi-8 of the UKR Air Force. They also intercepted 1 ATACMS opl-tactical missile, 30 projectiles of HIMARS, Uragan & Olkha multiple launch rocket systs, 3 JDAM guided bombs & 259 UAVs. 

📊 In total, 554 airplanes and 261 helicopters, 9,955 unmanned aerial vehicles, 442 air defence missile systems, 14,251 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,189 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 7,447 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 16,572 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.