Russian Forces Liberate Settlements in Donetsk, Inflict Heavy Losses on Ukrainian Troops

MOSCOW, August 9. /TASS/. Russian forces have liberated the settlements of Vasyutinskoye and Toretskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic, struck Ukrainian military facilities and downed 970 Ukrainian UAVs over the past 24 hours, the Defense Ministry said. The Battlegroup South liberated Vasyutinskoye through active operations, while the Battlegroup Center liberated Toretskoye, the ministry said. Ukrainian forces lost about 1,445 troops in the special military operation zone over the past 24 hours as a result of Russian battlegroups’ operations, according to the report. Losses included up to 285 troops in the area of responsibility of the Battlegroup North, more than 210 in that of the Battlegroup West, up to 190 in that of the Battlegroup South and more than 345 in that of the Battlegroup Center. Ukrainian troops also lost up to 370 personnel in the responsibility zone of the Battlegroup East and more than 45 in that of the Battlegroup Dnepr. Russian operational-tactical aircraft, strike UAVs, missile troops and artillery struck a military airfield, fuel and energy and transport infrastructure facilities used by Ukrainian troops, and temporary deployment areas of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries at 164 locations, the ministry said. Geran UAV crews destroyed a Ukrainian UAV control post and a logistics center in the Sumy Region. Russian air defense systems shot down 10 guided aerial bombs and four US-made HIMARS rockets, in addition to the 970 fixed-wing UAVs. Since the start of the special military operation, Russian forces have destroyed 673 aircraft, 284 helicopters, 201,891 UAVs, 669 surface-to-air missile systems, 30,506 tanks and other armored fighting vehicles, 1,769 multiple-launch rocket system combat vehicles, 36,100 field artillery guns and mortars, and 68,795 special military vehicles, the ministry said.