Russian air defense units have shot down 11 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles in the special military operation zone including the territory of the Lugansk People’s Republic over the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.   “Twelve high mobility artillery rocket system missiles and one Storm Shadow long-range missile were intercepted over the past 24 hours,” the report said. “Air defense units also destroyed 11 Ukrainian UAVs in the areas of Verkhnekamenka and Zaliman in the Lugansk People’s Republic and Pokrovskoye and Staromayorskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic.”   “On the Kupyansk axis, Battle Group “West” aircraft, artillery and heavy flamethrower systems  inflicted damage on enemy units in the areas of Tabayevka, Molchanovo, Novomlynsk and Berestovoye in the Kharkov region and Novoselovskoye and Stelmakhovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic.   “Three Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups were thwarted in the areas of Sinkovka, Timkovka and Kotlyarovka in the Kharkov region. Enemy losses over the past 24 hours amounted up to 70 servicemen, two armored vehicles and four pickups.   “On the Krasny Liman axis, Battle Group “Center” aircraft and artillery inflicted damage on Ukrainian army units in the areas of Makeyevka and Chervonaya Dibrova in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Torskoye and Yampolovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Serebryanka Forestry.   “The enemy lost more than 50 servicemen, two armored fighting vehicles, three cars, one “Gvozdika” self-propelled howitzer, two D-20 howitzers, one D-30 howitzer and one “Grad” multiple rocket launcher,” the Defense Ministry said.    ***   The Ukrainian government launched the so-called anti-terrorist operation against Donbass in April 2014.  The peace talks failed to reach tangible results due to Kiev’s position to settle the conflict by force.   President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation on February 24, 2022 to protect Donbass residents from Ukrainian aggression. Prior to that, LPR and DPR Heads Leonid Pasechnik and Denis Pushilin asked the Russian leader to provide military assistance.   The Lugansk People’s Republic acceded to Russia on September 30, 2022 following the unification referendum.*i*v