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

(21 September 2023)

▫️ Last night, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation carried out a group strike with long-range airborne precision weapons and strike drones against military industrial facilities, as well as centres for radio-technical reconnaissance and the training of sabotage groups of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The goal of the strike has been achieved. All the targets have been engaged.

◽️ In Zaporozhye direction, 2 attacks of AFU 71st Jaeger & 47th Mechanised brigades near Novopokrovka & Rabotino (Zaporozhye region) were repelled by actions of the RU Group of Forces units, air strikes and artillery fire.

▫️ Also, a cluster of manpower of the 46th Airmobile Brigade of the AFU near the locality of Verbovoye (Zaporozhye reg) was hit by fire.

▫️ Up to 50 UKR personnel, 2 armoured fighting vehicles, including Bradley IFV & 3 motor vehicles were eliminated.

▫️ Also, 2 U.S.-made M777 artillery systs, 3 D-30 howitzers & 1 U.S.-made M119 gun were hit during counter-battery warfare.

▫️ In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug GOF, in cooperation with aviation & artill, repelled 5 attacks by UKR Armed Forces near Orekhovo-Vasilyevka Kurdyumovka, Klescheevka, Veseloye & Khimik (Donetsk People's Republic).

▫️ Up to 300 UKR troops killed & wounded, 2 armoured fighting vehics, 5 motor vehics, 1 Olkha MLRS, as well as 1 Polish-manufactured Krab SP artillery syst have been eliminated.

▫️In Kupyansk direct, the Zapad GOF units supported by aviation & artillery inflicted fire damage on the enemy near Sinkovka (Kharkov reg) and Novosyolovskoye (Lugansk People's Republic)

▫️ The enemy's losses were up to 20 UKR troops, 2 motor vehicles & 1 U.S.-made M109 Paladin SP artill syst.

▫️ In Krasny Liman direction, coordinated actions of the Tsentr GOF, as well as helicopters strikes and artillery fire repelled three attacks launched by AFU assault groups near Chervonaya Dibrova & Shipilovka (LPR).

▫️ In addition, strikes were delivered at clusters of enemy manpower and hardware near Grigorovka, Torskoye (DPR) & Serebryansky forestry.

▫️ The AFU losses amounted to more than 75 UKR troops, 2 armoured fighting vehic, 2 pickup trucks, as well as 1 D-30 howitzer.

▫️In S Donetsk direction, the Vostok GOF, supported by helicopters and artillery inflicted fire damage on AFU units near Prechistovka (DPR) and repelled one enemy attack close to Priyutnoye (Zaporozhye reg).

▫️ Up to 110 UKR troops, 1 armoured fighting vehicle, 4 motor vehicles, 1 Uragan MLRS, as well as 1 Gvozdika SP artillery syst have been eliminated.

◽️ In Kherson direction, over 45 UKR servicemen, 3 motor vehicles, and 1 U.S.-made M777 howitzer have been neutralised.

▫️ One sabotage & recon group of the AFU 126th Territorial Defence Brig has been obliterated close to Pereyaslavsky Island.

▫️ Operational-Tactical & Army aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces have engaged AFU manpower and hardware in 102 areas during the day.

◽️ In addition, one U.S.-made AN/TPQ-50 counterbattery radar station was destroyed near Kalinovo (DPR).

◽️ Air defence systs have intercepted five Storm Shadow cruise missiles, four HIMARS MLRS projectiles, and one HARM anti-radiation missile.

▫️ In addition, 75 UKR UAVs were obliterated in the areas of Mirnoye, Tokmak, Chervonogorka, Pologi (Zaporozhye region), Volnovakha, Artyomovsk, Zolotarevka (DPR), Golikovo, Lisichansk (LPR), Olshana (Kharkov reg), as well as Novaya Sburyevka, Sagi, Geroyskoye (Kherson reg).

📊 In total, 475 airplanes and 249 helicopters, 7,020 UAV, 438 AD missile systems, 12,016 tanks & other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,154 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 6,473 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 13,281 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the SMO.