MOSCOW. March 15 (Interfax) - Russian forces have destroyed three radars of Ukrainian S-300 air defense missile systems in the Donetsk People's Republic and have downed a Ukrainian Mil Mi-8 helicopter in the Zaporozhye region, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said.
"Positions have been uncovered and three radars of Ukrainian S-300 air defense missile systems have been destroyed near Ukrainsk, Novodmitrovka and Krasnoye in the Donetsk People's Republic," Konashenkov said on Wednesday.
"Fighter jets of the Russian Aerospace Forces have downed a Mi-8 helicopter of the Ukrainian Air Force near Uspenovka in the Zaporozhye region," he said.
Russian air defense has intercepted 15 projectiles of HIMARS high mobility artillery rocket systems and Uragan and Olkha multiple rocket launchers and has destroyed seven Ukrainian drones in the Lugansk and Donetsk people's republics and the Kharkov and Zaporozhye regions over the day, Konashenkov said.
"Tactical aircraft, army aviation, missile forces and artillery of the Russian Armed Forces' contingent hit the 101st artillery detachment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces at firing positions, as well as troops and hardware in 197 areas," he said.
A total of 401 planes, 221 helicopters, 3,425 unmanned aerial vehicles, 412 air defense missile systems, 8,303 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,059 multiple rocket launchers, 4,363 artillery systems and mortars and 8,953 special military vehicles have been destroyed since the beginning of the special military operation, Konashenkov said.