MOSCOW. April 17 (Interfax) - Three Ukrainian sabotage-and-reconnaissance groups have been neutralized in the Kharkov region and the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR), Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said.
"Operations by three Ukrainian sabotage-and-reconnaissance groups have been neutralized near Sinkovka and Kislovka in the Kharkov region and Stelmakhovka in the Lugansk People's Republic," Konashenkov said at a press briefing on Monday.
Another Ukrainian sabotage group was neutralized near Novomikhailovka in the DPR, he said.
"Up to 60 Ukrainian troops have been killed, and two pickup trucks and a Msta-B howitzer were destroyed in these areas during the day," Konashenkov said.
In the Kupyansk sector, attack aircraft, army aviation and artillery from the western group of forces hit Ukrainian army units near Dvurechnaya, Timkovka, Tabayevka and Berestovoye in the Kharkov region, he said.
The enemy lost up to 35 Ukrainian soldiers and an Akatsiya self-propelled howitzer there over the past day, Konashenkov said.
"In addition, Ukrainian P-18 and 36D6 surveillance and targeting radars were destroyed near Kupyevakha in the Kharkov region," he said.
In the Krasny Liman sector, aviation, artillery and heavy flamethrowers from the central group of forces hit hostile units near Terny and Grigorovka in the Donetsk People's Republic and Chervonaya Dibrova in the Lugansk People's Republic.
"More than 70 Ukrainian troops were killed, and an armored combat vehicle and a Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer were destroyed," Konashenkov said.
"In the southern Donetsk and Zaporozhye sectors, tactical aircraft, army aviation and artillery from the eastern group of forces hit hostile units near Ugledar and Velikaya Novosyolka in the DPR, and Zagornoye, Malaya Tokmachka and Kamenskoye in the Zaporozhye region," he said.
"In addition, an ammo depot and a hangar storing weapons and military hardware of the 65th Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were destroyed near Novodanilovka and Novoandreyevka in the Zaporozhye region," Konashenkov said.
"In the Kherson region, gunfire killed more than 55 Ukrainian troops and destroyed three trucks, a U.S.-made M777 artillery system, and Akatsiya and Gvozdika self-propelled howitzers," Konashenkov said.
Tactical aircraft, missile forces and artillery from the Russian contingent hit 95 Ukrainian artillery units at their firing positions and troops and hardware in 123 areas over the preceding day," he said.
"Air defense intercepted three HIMARS projectiles," Konashenkov said.
"In addition, four Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were downed near Verkhnetoretskoye, Vasilyevka and Krapivnitskoye in the DPR and Golaya Pristan in the Kherson region," he said.
In total, 407 planes, 228 helicopters, 3,764 drones, 415 air defense missile systems, 8,699 tanks and armored vehicles, 1,086 multiple rocket launchers, 4,606 artillery systems and mortars, and 9,552 special military vehicles have been destroyed since the beginning of the special military operation, Konashenkov said.