Russian Defence Ministry: Russian Army destroys more than 1,200 Ukrainian fighters in one day

Russian troops destroyed more than 1,200 militants within one day as the Russian forces battered the Ukrainian Army on its offensive in Nikolaev-Krivoy Rog and other directions, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

"As a result of the defeat of the offensive of the Ukrainian troops in the Nikolaev-Krivoy Rog and other directions, which was carried out on the personal order from Zelensky, the enemy has suffered large-scale losses. Having conducted effective actions, the Russian troops have destroyed 48 tanks, 46 infantry fighting vehicles, 37 other armored combat vehicles, 8 pickup trucks with large-caliber machine guns and more than 1,200 Ukrainian servicemen," the ministry said.

Russian troops allegedly defeated units of the 128th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade, that had been deployed from western Ukraine. Five military men of the brigade laid down their arms and surrendered.

In addition, the military aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces destroyed five Ukrainian headquarters, three weapons and ammunition depots, as well as 52 artillery units, the Defense Ministry added.

The Russian military also liquidated more than 100 militants of the Kraken nationalist formation and foreign mercenaries near the village of Konstantinovka in the Donetsk People's Republic. They also managed to destroy more than 200 militants, including about 40 foreign mercenaries near the village of Aleksandrovka in the Dnepropetrovsk region.

The Russian defense ministry also reported that domestic air defense systems shot down two Ukrainian Sukhoi Su-25 aircraft in the Mykolaiv region and five unmanned aerial vehicles in the Kharkiv region.

Russia started the special military operation to demilitarize and denazify Ukraine on February 24. According to Vladimir Putin, the ultimate goal is the liberation of Donbass and the creation of conditions to guarantee Russia's security.