Ukraine destroys Russian ammunition depot less than 80 km from Kherson

A Russian ammunition depot in Ukraine’s besieged Kherson region was reportedly destroyed on Friday as the Ukrainian army’s counteroffensive in the south continued.

Ukraine’s Southern Operational Command (OCS) said on Facebook that 10 armored vehicles and an ammunition depot were destroyed in Berislav district of Kherson region, located less than 80 km from the city of Kherson occupied by Russia. While OCS did not indicate the precise location of the depot, a video appears to show the fiery aftermath of an attack on an ammunition depot, share to Twitter by Kyiv Post, suggests that the strike may have taken place in the village of Vysokopillia.

The SCO also said 37 Russian soldiers were killed on Friday. Russian equipment losses included three tanks, four Msta-B howitzers and one “grad” rocket launcher. A Sukhoi Su-25 aircraft that was damaged in a Ukrainian attack on Thursday was also moved from the area by Russian forces, according to the SCO.

Russian attacks on the village of Zeleny Gay in Mykolaiv district damaged three residential buildings but caused no casualties, according to the SCO. Damage from Russian attacks in Pervomaysk and Shirokiv caused damage to buildings with no casualties, the command reported.

A civilian was injured in a Russian attack in the Nikopol district, according to the SCO. The attack also reportedly damaged more than 10 residential buildings, a school, farm buildings, cars and power lines.

A message released by the SCO on Thursday reported that 201 Russian servicemen had been killed in the southern counteroffensive since it began in late August, while six Russian ammunition depots, 12 T-72 tanks and a wide range of Russian military equipment and weapons had been destroyed.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported in a Facebook post on Friday that Russia has lost a total of nearly 49,000 troops since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion on Feb. 24. Of these, 350 had been killed between Thursday and Friday morning. .

Ukraine said a total of 2,009 Russian tanks were destroyed on Friday morning, including 12 since Thursday. In addition, a total of 4,366 armored fighting vehicles were reportedly destroyed, along with 1,126 artillery units and 853 unmanned aerial vehicles.

Other Russian equipment listed as having been destroyed during the war includes 234 aircraft, 205 helicopters, 15 ships/boats, 3,247 vehicles and tankers, 198 cruise missiles, 289 air defense systems, 105 pieces of special equipment and 153 anti-aircraft warfare systems. .

Newsweek did not independently verify any of the Ukrainian military’s claims about Russian casualties.

The British Ministry of Defense released a map on Friday showing that Russia has lost a small but significant amount of ground in less than a week since the start of the Ukrainian counteroffensive in the south.

Newsweek contacted the Russian government for comment.