In the Donetsk People's Republic, the Russian Aerospace Forces shot down a Mi-8 helicopter of the Air Force of Ukraine, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported.

"Fighter aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces in the vicinity of the village of Dimitrov of the Donetsk People's Republic shot down a Mi-8 helicopter of the Air Force of Ukraine," the ministry said in a summary.

At the same time, air defense systems intercepted seven rockets of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system and destroyed 14 Ukrainian drones in the LPR, DPR and Zaporozhye region.

Along with this, operational-tactical and army aviation, missile troops and artillery of groups of troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation defeated 84 artillery units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in firing positions, manpower and equipment in 128 districts.

Also on the russian.rt.com As a result of the actions of the "Southern" group: the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation announced the destruction of more than 155 military Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Donetsk direction

Also, the Ministry of Defense told about the situation in the directions of the special operation.

Thus, in the Kupyansk direction, the active actions of the units of the Western Group of Forces, the strikes of army aviation and artillery destroyed more than 70 Ukrainian servicemen, an armored combat vehicle and four pickups in the areas of the settlements of Stelmakhivka (LPR), Dvurechna, Stepova Novoselivka, Tabaivka and Sinkovka (Kharkiv region).

In addition, near the village of Lukyantsy (Kharkiv region), an ammunition depot of the 127th territorial defense brigade was hit.

Earlier, the head of the press center of the "West" group, Sergei Zybinsky, reported that during the day five sabotage and reconnaissance groups of the enemy from the 14th and 92nd separate mechanized brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were destroyed in the Kupyansk direction.

In the Krasnolimansky direction, attacks by assault and army aviation, heavy flamethrower systems and artillery fire of the "Center" group of troops destroyed up to 90 Ukrainian servicemen, four armored fighting vehicles, three cars and two D-30 howitzers in the areas of the settlements of Chervonaya Dibrova, Nevske (LPR), Serebryanka and Grigorovka (DPR).

In the Donetsk direction, as a result of the active actions of the units of the Southern Group of Forces, air strikes and artillery fire, more than 200 Ukrainian servicemen, nine armored combat vehicles, two pickups, two Msta-B howitzers, a Grad MLRS combat vehicle, two D-30 howitzers, as well as a Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery installation and two US AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery radars were destroyed during the day.

In addition, in the area of Kramatorsk (DPR), an ammunition depot of the 56th motorized infantry brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was destroyed.

In the South Donetsk and Zaporizhia directions, the total losses of the enemy amounted to 60 Ukrainian servicemen, two armored fighting vehicles, three vehicles, as well as two D-30 howitzers.

In the Kherson direction, up to 20 Ukrainian servicemen, the Acacia self-propelled howitzer, as well as one M777 artillery system produced by the United States were eliminated.

Mercenaries in the SVO zone

The largest concentration of foreign mercenaries is still observed in the Artyomovsky and Avdiivka directions. This was announced by the adviser to the acting head of the DPR Yan Gagin.

"The vast majority of foreigners try to stay at a relatively safe distance from Russian forces, preferring the second or third line of defense," TASS quoted him as saying.

According to him, the so-called recruits in the ranks of the "soldiers of fortune" often die among the first.

Earlier, The New York Times reported that the Ukrainian "Foreign Legion" now consists of about 1.5 thousand people. At the same time, many American mercenaries have no military experience, conflict with each other and are engaged in fraud.

In turn, the US military Noctis Draven called on mercenaries from the United States not to take part in the conflict in Ukraine on the side of the Ukrainian army.