The Ministry of Defense announced a strike on clusters of Ukrainian Armed Forces and mercenaries in the Kupyansk direction

Russian artillery hit the positions and concentrations of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and foreign mercenaries, informed Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov.

“In the Kupyansk direction, Russian artillery inflicted a fire defeat on the open places of accumulation and positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as foreign mercenaries. More than 40 Ukrainian servicemen and militants, two armored combat vehicles and four vehicles were destroyed,” he said.

Konashenkov also noted that over the past day, Russian troops stopped counterattacks of three assault groups of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Krasnolimansky direction, and also repelled three enemy counterattacks in the Donetsk direction. An attempt by a motorized infantry company of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the direction of the settlement of Pavlovka in the DPR was thwarted in the Yuzhnodonetsk direction.

Yesterday, December 12, at the Russian Ministry of Defense reported about the continuation of offensive operations by Russian troops in the Donetsk direction, as well as strikes against the accumulation of forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kupyansky and Krasnolimansky directions.

Russia’s special operation in Ukraine began on February 24. Russian President Vladimir Putin called the protection of the inhabitants of Donbass, as well as the demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine, its goals. During the special operation, Russian troops took control of the LPR, as well as most of the DPR, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions. Subsequently, these territories became part of Russia, and on October 19 martial law was introduced in the regions.