According to the Defense Ministry report, the attack hit 131 command posts, as well as 146 artillery batteries and enemy mortars in firing positions.

On Wednesday, Russian fighters shot down a Su-25 aircraft belonging to the Ukrainian Air Force, while anti-aircraft defense systems destroyed seven drones in the regions of Odessa, Kharkov and in the territories of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics.

The senior Russian official said that Moscow’s aviation destroyed two ammunition and fuel depots, as well as three Grad missile systems, one Osa-AKM and 15 points of Ukrainian troops and war material.

Konashenkov warned that the Kiev Government’s emergency attempts to ensure the legal protection of mercenaries, including them in lists of military units of the Armed Forces or the National Guard, or giving them new passports of Ukrainian citizens, will not save any of them.

Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine on February 24, after the authorities of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics requested help to repel the increase in aggression and the heavy air strikes from Kiev.

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