Russian Troops Liberate Community of Sol in Donetsk Advance, Top Brass Reports

It is reported that Russian forces struck 76 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions over the past day

© Russian Defence Ministry

MOSCOW, January 18. /TASS/. Russian troops supported by combat aircraft, missile troops and artillery liberated the community of Sol in the Donetsk People’s Republic during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Wednesday.

"In the Donetsk direction, volunteers of assault units, supported by operational-tactical and army aircraft, missile troops and artillery of the Southern Military District, liberated the community of Sol in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

Russian artillery struck three Ukrainian army brigades in the Kupyansk area, eliminating over 60 enemy troops in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Kupyansk direction, the Western Military District’s artillery delivered strikes on units of the Ukrainian army’s 14th and 92nd mechanized brigades and 103rd territorial defense brigade in areas near the settlements of Dvurechnoye and Krakhmalnoye in the Kharkov Region and Novosyolovskoye in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

As a result of the strikes, Russian troops "eliminated over 60 Ukrainian servicemen, an armored personnel carrier, two pickup trucks, two motor vehicles and a US-made M777 artillery system," the general specified.

Russian artillery, airborne forces and combat aircraft delivered strikes on Ukrainian army units in the Krasny Liman area, eliminating over 90 enemy troops in the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Krasny Liman direction, artillery of the Central Military District and the Airborne Force, army and assault aircraft delivered strikes on amassed manpower of the Ukrainian army’s 92nd mechanized, 80th and 95th air assault brigades near the localities of Stelmakhovka and Chervonaya Dibrova in the Lugansk People’s Republic, and also the Serebryansky forestry," the spokesman said.

In all, the enemy lost over 90 personnel, an infantry fighting vehicle and three armored combat vehicles in that area over the past 24 hours, the general specified.

Russian forces eliminated roughly 90 Ukrainian troops in the Donetsk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"Up to 90 Ukrainian troops, three armored combat vehicles, four motor vehicles, a Msta-B howitzer and a Grad multiple rocket launcher were destroyed in that area in the past 24 hours. A Ukrainian army depot of ammunition for HIMARS and Grad multiple launch rocket systems was wiped out in the area of the city of Kramatorsk," the spokesman said.

Russian artillery and Marine Corps units thwarted the Ukrainian army’s attempts to attack in the southern Donetsk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the southern Donetsk direction, artillery units of the Eastern and Southern Military Districts, and also the Pacific Fleet’s marine infantry thwarted the attempts by three Ukrainian assault groups to advance towards the communities of Stepnoye, Sladkoye and Urozhainoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

The enemy’s total losses in that area in the past 24 hours amounted to 90 Ukrainian troops, four armored fighting vehicles, one pickup truck and seven motor vehicles, the general specified.

Russian forces struck 76 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the past 24 hours, operational-tactical aircraft, missile troops and artillery of the Russian group of forces inflicted damage on 76 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions, manpower and military hardware in 103 areas," the spokesman said.

Fighter aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces shot down a Ukrainian Su-25 ground attack plane in the Donetsk People’s Republic over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"Fighter aircraft of the Aerospace Forces of Russia shot down a Ukrainian Air Force Su-25 plane near the locality of Yablonovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

Russian forces wiped out two US-made counter-battery radars and an ST-68 target acquisition radar station over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"Two AN/TPQ-50 and AN/TPQ-48 counter-battery warfare radars of US manufacture and also an ST-68 target detection and tracking radar station were destroyed," the spokesman said.

Russian air defense forces destroyed seven Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the past 24 hours, air defense capabilities destroyed seven Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles in areas near the communities of Krivosheyevka, Kremennaya, Chervonopopovka and Krasnorechenskoye in the Lugansk People’s Republic, and also intercepted an Olkha rocket near Vladimirovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 373 Ukrainian warplanes, 200 helicopters, 2,898 unmanned aerial vehicles, 401 surface-to-air missile systems, 7,563 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 985 multiple rocket launchers, 3,855 field artillery guns and mortars and 8,101 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation, Konashenkov reported.