On the night of May 16, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation launched a concentrated strike with high-precision long-range air and sea-based weapons at the deployment points of the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as storage sites for ammunition, weapons and military equipment delivered from Western countries. This was reported in the press service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

"A US-made Patriot anti-aircraft missile system was hit by a high-precision strike with the Kinzhal hypersonic missile system in the city of Kyiv," Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said during a briefing.

At night, an air raid alert was announced throughout Ukraine. According to Ukrainian media, the explosions occurred in Kyiv and the Chernihiv region.

  • Hypersonic missile "Dagger" in Kyiv hit the Patriot air defense system

Artyomovsk

The official representative of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation also said that the assault detachments continued to conduct offensive operations in the western quarters of Artyomovsk. At the same time, units of the Southern Group of Forces restrained the enemy, covering the flanks of the assault detachments.

"The most difficult situation was in the area of the settlement of Krasnoye of the Donetsk People's Republic, where units of the 4th Motorized Rifle Brigade repelled ten attacks from the Armed Forces of Ukraine during the day. During the fierce battles, more than 70 Ukrainian servicemen, an infantry fighting vehicle, as well as two armored personnel carriers were destroyed," Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov emphasized.

Also, an airstrike in the area of the settlement of Krasnoye (DPR) destroyed an automobile overpass along which enemy reinforcements were transferred to Artyomovsk.

Earlier, the acting head of the DPR, Denis Pushilin, reported on the tense situation in the Artyomovsk direction. The fighter of the Wagner PMC, in turn, told RIA Novosti that the Armed Forces of Ukraine transferred the most combat-ready units to the defense of Artyomovsk.

The situation in other areas of the NWO

According to the official representative of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the total losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Donetsk direction per day amounted to 215 Ukrainian servicemen, five armored combat vehicles, seven vehicles, as well as Msta-B and D-30 howitzers.

In the Kupyansk direction, the actions of five Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups were suppressed. In total, up to 60 soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and four cars were destroyed.

In the Krasnoliman direction, up to 65 Ukrainian servicemen, two infantry fighting vehicles, as well as the Akatsiya self-propelled artillery unit were destroyed.

In the South Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, the actions of the Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group were suppressed. Total losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: up to 135 militants, three cars, two Msta-B howitzers, as well as an Acacia self-propelled artillery mount.

In the Kherson direction, up to 25 Ukrainian servicemen, an Akatsiya self-propelled artillery mount, as well as five vehicles were eliminated.

In addition, fighter aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces shot down Su-24 and Su-25 aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force in the areas of the settlements of Varvarovka and Krasnoarmeysk (DPR).

Air defense systems destroyed 22 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, intercepted seven Storm Shadow long-range cruise missiles, three HARM anti-radar missiles, as well as seven HIMARS multiple rocket launchers.

The day before, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported for the first time that Russian air defense systems managed to shoot down a long-range Storm Shadow long-range cruise missile supplied by Great Britain in the zone of a special military operation.

"It should be borne in mind that the rocket was created about two decades ago. The characteristics of the Storm Shadow are well known to us, and all modern air defense systems, with the required level of coherence and interaction with electronic intelligence, are capable of shooting down the Storm Shadow. These are "Buki", "Torah", "Shells", S-300, S-400, "retired Colonel Anatoly Matviychuk told RT.