Russian troops liberated two communities in the Kharkov Region and one settlement in the Zaporozhye Region over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Wednesday.

"Battlegroup North units liberated the settlements of Glubokoye and Lukyantsy in the Kharkov Region in active operations and moved deep into the enemy defenses… Battlegroup Dnepr units fully liberated the settlement of Rabotino in the Zaporozhye Region," TASS quoted  the ministry as saying.

Ukraine’s army loses 125 troops in Kharkov area over past day

The Ukrainian army lost roughly 125 troops, three tanks and two multiple rocket launchers in fights with Russia’s Battlegroup North in the Kharkov area over the past day, the ministry reported.

"The Ukrainian army’s losses amounted to 125 personnel, three tanks, three infantry fighting vehicles, five motor vehicles, a 300mm Olkha multiple launch rocket system, a Czech-made 122mm Vampire MLRS, two 122mm D-30 howitzers and a 100mm Rapira anti-tank gun," the ministry said.

During the last 24-hour period, Russia’s Battlegroup North units inflicted damage on manpower and military equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 14th and 23rd mechanized, 143rd infantry and 113th territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Zhuravka, Granov, Liptsy and Volchansk in the Kharkov Region. They repulsed three enemy counterattacks near the settlements of Glubokoye and Staritsa in the Kharkov Region, it specified.

Russian troops repulse ten Ukrainian counterattacks in Kupyansk area over past day

Russian troops repulsed ten Ukrainian army counterattacks in the Kupyansk area over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup West units improved their forward edge positions and inflicted casualties on formations of the Ukrainian army’s 14th and 44th mechanized and 68th jaeger brigades in areas near the settlements of Petropavlovka in the Kharkov Region, Stelmakhovka and Nadiya in the Lugansk People’s Republic. They repulsed 10 counterattacks by units of the Ukrainian army’s 21st mechanized, 3rd assault and 1st National Guard brigades in areas near the settlements of Makeyevka and Novoyegorovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost as many as 190 personnel, two armored combat vehicles, two motor vehicles, a Grad multiple rocket launcher, a US-made 155mm M198 howitzer, a 152mm D-20 howitzer, three 122mm Gvozdika motorized artillery systems and a US-manufactured 105mm M119 artillery gun in the Kupyansk direction over the past 24 hours, it specified.

Ukraine’s army loses over 510 troops in Donetsk area over past day

The Ukrainian army lost more than 510 troops in battles with Russian forces in the Donetsk area over the past day, the ministry reported.

Russia’s Battlegroup South units took better positions and inflicted damage on personnel and military hardware of the Ukrainian army’s 10th mountain assault, 59th motorized infantry, 79th air assault, 22nd, 33rd, 54th and 57th mechanized and 106th territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Georgiyevka, Kalinin, Kleshcheyevka, Krasnogorovka, Nevelskoye and Razdolovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Belogorovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic, it specified.

"The enemy lost over 510 personnel, five armored combat vehicles, 10 motor vehicles, a 155mm M777 howitzer and a 155mm M198 howitzer of US manufacture, a UK-made 155mm FH70 towed howitzer, a 152mm Giatsint-S gun, two 152mm D-20 howitzers, two 122mm D-30 howitzers, a UK-made 105mm L119 artillery gun and a Kasta radar station," the ministry said.

Russian troops also destroyed three field ammunition depots of the Ukrainian army in the Donetsk direction over the past 24 hours, it specified.

Russian troops inflict 175 casualties on Ukrainian army in Avdeyevka area over past day

Russian troops inflicted roughly 175 casualties on the Ukrainian army in the Avdeyevka area over the past day, the ministry reported.

During the last 24-hour period, Russia’s Battlegroup Center units improved their tactical position and inflicted damage on formations of the Ukrainian army’s 68th jaeger, 24th and 100th mechanized and 2nd National Guard brigades near the settlements of Novgorodskoye, Mayorsk, Semyonovka and Umanskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic. In addition, they repulsed six enemy counterattacks in areas near the settlements of Solovyovo, Ocheretino, Netailovo and Keramik in the Donetsk People’s Republic, it specified.

"The enemy’s losses over the past 24 hours amounted to 175 personnel, four armored combat vehicles, among them a German-made Marder infantry fighting vehicle, five motor vehicles, a US-made 155mm M777 howitzer, a 122mm D-30 howitzer, a 105mm M119 artillery gun and a 105mm M102 light howitzer of US manufacture," the ministry said.

Russian forces gain better ground in south Donetsk area over past day

Russian forces gained better ground in the south Donetsk area where the enemy lost roughly 140 troops and seven pieces of equipment over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup East units took more advantageous sites and inflicted damage on manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 58th motorized infantry, 72nd mechanized and 128th territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Staromayorskoye, Urozhainoye and Vodyanoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The Ukrainian army lost as many as 140 personnel, two infantry fighting vehicles, three motor vehicles, a US-made 155mm M777 howitzer and a 152mm Msta-B howitzer," the ministry said.

Russian troops strike three Ukrainian army brigades in Kherson area over past day

Russian troops struck three Ukrainian army brigades in the Kherson area over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup Dnepr units … inflicted casualties on personnel and equipment of the Ukrainian army’s 65th mechanized, 121st territorial defense and 23rd National Guard brigades near the settlements of Malaya Tokmachka in the Zaporozhye Region, Nikopol in the Dnepropetrovsk Region and Zolotaya Balka in the Kherson Region," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost as many as 25 personnel, two motor vehicles and a US-made 155mm M777 howitzer in that frontline area over the past 24 hours, it specified.

Russian troops strike Ukrainian army, equipment in 135 areas over past day

Russian troops inflicted casualties on Ukrainian manpower and military hardware in 135 areas over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Operational/tactical aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groups of forces struck massed enemy personnel and equipment in 135 areas," the ministry said.

Russian air defenses down Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jet, 40 UAVs over past day

Russian air defense forces shot down a Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jet and 40 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Air defense capabilities shot down a Ukrainian Air Force MiG-29 plane, 40 unmanned aerial vehicles, four US-made HARM anti-radar missiles, 12 US-manufactured ATACMS tactical missiles and Tochka-U missiles and 45 US-made HIMARS rockets along with Uragan and Olkha rockets," the ministry said.

In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 597 Ukrainian warplanes, 274 helicopters, 24,086 unmanned aerial vehicles, 521 surface-to-air missile systems, 16,035 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,299 multiple rocket launchers, 9,595 field artillery guns and mortars and 21,728 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation, the ministry reported.