Ukrainian Manpower Losses Rise Nearly Twofold Week over Week to 2,500 Men

From October 17 to 23, the Ukrainian forces suffered its heaviest losses in terms of manpower and equipment on the Nikolayev-Krivoy Rog front, as opposed to last week when the heaviest losses were reported in the Kupyansk direction

© AP Photo/LIBKOS

MOSCOW, October 31. /TASS/. The Russian armed forces wiped out over 2,500 Ukrainian servicemen and foreign mercenaries during its special military operation in Ukraine over the last week, according to TASS calculations based on daily briefings by Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov. This is more than one and a half times as many as a week earlier.

From October 17 to 23, the enemy suffered its heaviest losses in terms of manpower and equipment on the Nikolayev-Krivoy Rog front, as opposed to last week when the enemy suffered its heaviest losses in the Kupyansk direction. During the offensive in the South Donetsk direction, Russian troops advanced more than 3 km deep into the enemy's defense.

TASS has gathered the most important statistics on the special operation from October 24 to 30.

Offensive actions of Russian armed forces

The Russian Defense Ministry announced its troops’ offensive in the South Donetsk direction in the Donetsk People's Republic, during which a number of strongholds and crests were seized. Russian assault groups advanced more than 3 km deep into the enemy's defense and reached the settlement of Pavlovka. The enemy lost over 100 servicemen, six soldiers surrendered.

During the offensive, one Ukrainian tank was destroyed and another one was captured. Three armored combat vehicles and six transport vehicles were also destroyed.

Ukrainian losses in manpower

The most significant losses in manpower were sustained by the Ukrainian military in the Kupyansk direction: Ukraine lost 830 men. In the Nikolayev-Krivoy Rog direction, Ukrainian units made unsuccessful attempts to attack Russian positions on October 25, 26, and 27. It is stated that the enemy attacked five times on October 29 and made seven attacks before October 31. As a result, Ukrainian troops lost over 800 servicemen and foreign mercenaries in this direction, 650 men on the Krasny Liman front, and 190 men in the South Donetsk area.

In addition, over 40 Ukrainian servicemen were wiped out as a result of a Russian missile strike on a manpower and equipment gathering point near the village of Staroverovka in the Kharkov Region.

Ukrainian losses in equipment

Ukrainian troops lost their largest number of tanks this past week on the Krasny Liman front: 18 in total. According to TASS calculations, Russian units on the Nikolayev-Krivoy Rog front destroyed the most Ukrainian armored combat vehicles: 63 pieces.

Russian Lancet drones destroyed the Ukrainian Buk-M1 MLRS’s self-propelled firing system, according to a video published by the Russian Defense Ministry. The enemy also lost a US-made AN/TPQ-37 counter-battery radar.

In total, according to TASS calculations, the Ukrainian armed forces lost about 180 tanks and other armored vehicles, as well as over 170 vehicles of various types over the week.

Aircraft, air defense and artillery performance

According to TASS, the most productive day for Russian air defense equipment was October 30, when they destroyed three Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopters and an Su-25 attack aircraft.

The anti-aircraft gunners also intercepted two MiG-29 fighters, two Mi-8 helicopters, 76 drones, 78 multiple launch rocket systems: HIMARS, Smerch, Uragan and Alder, as well as 24 US air-to-surface anti-radiation missiles HARM during the week. The destroyed drones include nine shot down during a Ukrainian terrorist attack against Black Sea Fleet ships and civilian vessels at the Sevastopol roadstead on October 29.

Russian aviation, missile and artillery units destroyed several American M777 howitzers, two US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems, as well as a German MARS-2 multiple launch rocket system and PzH 2000 self-propelled artillery unit.

Also, one Ukrainian speedboat was wiped out during an attempt by a Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group to land near Energodar in the Zaporozhye Region.

In addition, seven autonomous maritime drones that had taken part in the abovementioned attack on ships in Sevastopol’s waters were also hit. This was the first time during the entire special operation, such incidents had not been officially reported before.

Destruction of important Ukrainian targets

On October 26, a Russian strike in the vicinity of the village of Prikolotnoye in the Kharkov Region eliminated a communications center of the Ukrainian armed forces, and destroyed an oil storage facility near Dnepropetrovsk that was being used to supply diesel fuel to troops in Donbass.

On October 27, a factory near the Dnepropetrovsk Region’s Pavlograd was destroyed. It produced rocket fuel, explosives and gunpowder for the Ukrainian military. On October 30, Russian forces struck a training center of the Ukrainian special operations forces near Ochakov in the Nikolayev Region.

On October 31, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that high-precision long-range air and sea strikes had been carried out. As a result, facilities of Ukraine's military control and energy systems were hit.

All in all, according to TASS calculations, Russian troops destroyed 33 Ukrainian command posts and 14 ammunition depots over the week.