Russian forces destroy five Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group in DPR, LPR

The Russian armed forces destroyed five Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups in the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR, LPR), Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov said on Wednesday January 4, 2023.

“Five enemy sabotage and reconnaissance groups were destroyed in the areas of the settlements of Nevskoye in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Novovodyanoye, Serebryanka and Belogorovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic,” he said.

He added that Russian troops continue their offensive in the direction of Donetsk, more than 100 servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (APU) were eliminated in a day.

Russian troops destroyed three 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled howitzers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kharkov and Zaporozhye regions, Konashenkov added. “In the areas of the settlement of Pokalyanoye in the Kharkov region, and the city of Orekhov in the Zaporozhye region, three 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled howitzers were destroyed at firing positions,” Konashenkov said.

Russia’s forces destroy five artillery ammunition warehouses in DPR, Zaporozhye region

“In the areas of the settlements of Orekhov in the Zaporozhye region, Dibrova and Konstantinovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, five warehouses of artillery ammunition of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were destroyed,” Konashenkov said.

In addition, a warehouse of rocket and artillery weapons of a foreign mercenary unit was destroyed near the city of Kramatorsk in the Donetsk People’s Republic.

Russian air defense systems over the past day destroyed six Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). “Over the day, air defense systems destroyed six Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles in the areas of the settlements of Zeleny Gai in the Zaporozhye region, Blagoveshchenka, Petrovka, Kirillovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Kremennaya in the Lugansk People’s Republic,” Konashenkov said.

He added that the Russian forces destroyed two US-made AN/TPQ-50 counterfire radars over the past day.

In total, according to Konashenkov, the following have been destroyed since the beginning of Russia’s special military operation: 357 aircraft, 199 helicopters, 2,813 UAVs, 399 anti-aircraft missile systems, 7,408 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 968 combat vehicles of multiple launch rocket systems, 3,772 field artillery guns and mortar, as well as 7,920 units of special military vehicles.

Russia’s Aerospace Forces shot down Ukrainian MiG-29, Su-25 aircraft

“Fighter aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces shot down MiG-29 and Su-25 aircraft of the Air Forces of Ukraine in the area of the city of Kramatorsk in the Donetsk People’s Republic and the settlement of Novopavlovka in the Nikolaev region,” he said.

Russian air defense systems also destroyed six Ukrainian UAVs.