On Tuesday, March 7, a conference call was held at the National Defense Control Center of the Russian Federation under the leadership of Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.

Opening the meeting, the minister reported on the situation on the line of contact between the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and Ukrainian formations.

According to him, recently, as a result of the offensive actions of Russian troops in the Donetsk and Kupyansk directions of the NMD, the settlements of Nikolaevka, Dvurechnoye, Krasnaya Gora, Gryanikovka and Paraskovievka were liberated.

The battles for Artyomovsk (Bakhmut) continue.

“The liberation of Artyomovsk continues.

This city is an important defense hub for Ukrainian troops in the Donbass.

Taking it under control will allow further offensive actions deep into the defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” the minister said.

Meanwhile, as Shoigu noted, Western countries, as part of the American strategy of “breaking Russia by force of arms,” are increasing the supply of weapons and military equipment to Ukraine, and are also expanding training programs for Ukrainian army personnel.

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As the head of the Russian Defense Ministry emphasized, such a policy does not lead to success for Ukrainian troops on the battlefield.

On the contrary, there is a significant increase in losses among the personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

“In February alone, they increased by more than 40% compared to January and amounted to over 11,000 servicemen.

In this regard, the indifference of the Kyiv regime to its people, which does not take into account the huge human losses in favor of Western curators, is surprising,” the minister said.

Against this background, Shoigu said that for the Russian side, the priority remains the preservation of the life and health of personnel and civilians.

The situation in the NWO zone

In turn, the official representative of the department, Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov, during the briefing, told the details of the operational situation in the NVO zone.

In particular, in the Kupyansk direction, army aviation and artillery of the Western Group of Forces attacked the enemy’s manpower and equipment, as a result of which one tank, a Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery mount, an Akatsia self-propelled gun, and over 30 military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were destroyed in a day.

In the Krasnolimansky direction, as a result of artillery fire from the Center group of troops and air strikes, units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine lost up to 125 people, two infantry fighting vehicles, three armored combat vehicles, as well as D-20 and D-30 howitzers.

In the Donetsk direction, over 75 Ukrainian soldiers, two tanks, three armored vehicles, two pickup trucks, a Smerch MLRS combat vehicle and a D-30 howitzer were destroyed in a day.

In addition, a US-made AN/TPQ-37 counter-battery radar and an ammunition depot of the 110th Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were destroyed.

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In the South-Donetsk and Zaporizhia directions, aviation and artillery of the Vostok group of troops hit units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of Vuhledar and a number of other settlements in the DPR and the Zaporozhye region.

During the day, the enemy lost in these areas over 60 servicemen, two armored combat vehicles, two pickup trucks, the M109 Paladin self-propelled guns and the US-made M777 artillery system, as well as the D-30 howitzer.

In the Kherson direction, up to 35 Ukrainian soldiers, four vehicles and two D-30 howitzers were destroyed in a day.

Aviation, missile troops and artillery of the RF Armed Forces hit 74 artillery units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in firing positions, manpower and equipment in 128 districts in a day.

In addition, the Russian Aerospace Forces shot down a Su-24 aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force in the sky over the DPR, and air defense systems hit a Ukrainian Su-25 attack aircraft in the Kherson region.

Along with this, 12 HIMARS multiple rocket launchers were intercepted during the day and 11 Ukrainian drones were destroyed.

POW exchange

Also on the afternoon of March 7, the Ministry of Defense announced a new exchange of prisoners of war.

“As a result of the negotiation process, 90 Russian servicemen who were in mortal danger were returned from the territory controlled by the Kyiv regime,” the ministry’s press service said.

As specified in the Ministry of Defense, the servicemen will be delivered by aircraft of the military transport aviation of the Aerospace Forces to Moscow for treatment and rehabilitation.

As emphasized in the department, the released are provided with the necessary medical and psychological assistance.