Russia says its forces have liberated Avdiivka and advanced 8.6km

Photo: Alexander Polegenko/TASS

MOSCOW, February 18 /TASS/. Russian forces liberated Avdiivka in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) on February 17 and advanced 8.6 kilometers, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

"On 17 February, in the course of offensive operations, the units of the Battle Group Centre fully liberated the town of Avdiivka in the Donetsk People's Republic and advanced 8.6 km. The total area of the liberated territory is 31.75 km². The enemy lost more than 1,500 soldiers," the ministry said.

Donetsk region
Ukraine has lost more than 190 soldiers in the past day in the southern Donetsk region, the statement said.

"The enemy losses amounted to more than 190 soldiers, two tanks, two armoured fighting vehicles and three motor vehicles. Counter-battery fighting hit the following targets: a Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery unit, two British-made FH-70s, two Msta-B howitzers and a Rapira anti-tank artillery gun," the defence ministry said.

According to the statement, units of the Battle Group East also caused fire damage to units of the 58th Infantry Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the 127th Territorial Defence Brigade in the areas of the settlements of Urozhaynoye in the Donetsk People's Republic and Priyutnoye in Zaporizhzhya Region.

Russian military forces improved positions on the front in the Donetsk region, with Ukrainian forces losing up to 400 soldiers and 19 pieces of equipment, the ministry said.

"In the Donetsk region, units of the South battle group improved positions on the beachhead and hit the manpower and equipment of the 42nd, 93rd Mechanized and 81st Air Mobile Brigades of the Ukrainian Army near the settlements of Belogorovka of the Lugansk People's Republic, Krasnoye and Kleshcheyevka of the Donetsk People's Republic. The enemy lost up to 400 soldiers, two tanks, three infantry fighting vehicles, four armoured fighting vehicles, six cars, three howitzers, including Msta-B, D-20 and D-30, and a Strela-10 anti-aircraft missile launcher," the statement said.

Krasnyj Liman region
Ukraine has lost up to 100 soldiers in the Krasny Liman region over the past day, the Russian defence ministry said.

"The enemy losses amounted to 100 soldiers, one tank, three armoured fighting vehicles and four motor vehicles," the statement said.

Russian troops also hit personnel and equipment of the Ukrainian 63rd Mechanised Brigade and 25th Airborne Brigade in the areas of the settlements of Yampolovka in the DPR and Chervonaya Dibrova in the LLR.

Kherson region
Russian forces have taken more advantageous positions in the Kherson region, the Russian defence ministry said.

"In the Kherson region, units of the Dnieper battle group, acting decisively, seized advantageous positions and struck enemy personnel and equipment in the areas of Rabotino and Verbovoye in the Zaporizhzhya region; and Lvovo and Tyaginka in the Kherson region," the ministry said.

According to the statement, Ukraine lost up to 70 soldiers, an infantry fighting vehicle and three motor vehicles. Russian forces also destroyed a US-made M777 artillery system, a Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer and a US-made AN/TPQ-48 anti-battery radar.

Kupjan region
Ukrainian forces have lost up to 40 soldiers in the Kupyansk region in the past 24 hours, the ministry said.

"In the Kupyansk region, units of Battle Group West destroyed the manpower and equipment of the 14th and 66th mechanised brigades of the Ukrainian army near the settlements of Sinkovka, Petropavlovka and Ivanovka in the Kharkiv region. The Ukrainian army lost up to 40 soldiers, a tank, three armoured fighting vehicles and three pickup trucks. In addition, a Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery system, two D-20 howitzers, two Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems and a D-30 howitzer were destroyed," the statement said.

Air force and air defence
Russian air defences have destroyed 105 Ukrainian drones and intercepted four HIMARS multiple-launch rocket systems in the past 24 hours, the ministry said.

"Air defence systems have intercepted four HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems in the last 24 hours. In addition, 105 Ukrainian drones were destroyed near the settlements of Ivanovka in Kharkiv region, Kremennaya, Kalinovka in Lugansk People's Republic, Styla, Semigorje and Verkhnetoretskoye in Donetsk People's Republic, Lyubimovka, Chervonogorka and Mirnoye in Zaporizhzhya region," the ministry noted.

Sum of destroyed equipment
In total, Russian forces have destroyed 571 Ukrainian combat aircraft, 266 helicopters, 12,723 drones, 470 anti-aircraft missile systems, 15,098 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,222 multiple rocket launchers, 8,091 field guns and mortars and 18,801 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation in Ukraine, the ministry said.

TASS/gnews.cz-RoZ_07

https://tass.com/politics/1748129