Фото: Global Look Press

Russian air defense units have shot down 42 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.

“Air defense units <...> destroyed 42 Ukrainian UAVs in the areas of Kudryashovka, Lisichansk and Shishkovo in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Gorlovka, Nikolskoye, Artyomovsk, Berestovoye and Klyuchevoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Pologi and Tokmak in the Zaporozhye region, Dobropolye in the Kherson region and Tavolzhanka in the Kharkov region,” the report said.

On the Kupyansk axis, Task Force “West” units repelled five enemy attacks in the areas of Novsyolovskoye and Novoyegorova (LPR) and Sinkovka in the Kharkov region. Ukrainian army losses on this axis over the past 24 hours amounted up to 50 servicemen, two infantry fighting vehicles, three pickups and three US-made M777 artillery pieces.

“On the Krasny Liman axis, Task Force “Center” units, aircraft, artillery repelled three enemy attacks in the areas of Grigorovka and Torskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Chervonaya Dibrova in the Lugansk People’s Republic. Over the past 24 hours, the enemy lost up to 80 servicemen, three armored fighting vehicles and two pickups,” the Defense Ministry said.

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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.*i*sb