LIVE UPDATES - Russian air defenses intercept three US-made HIMARS rockets in Ukraine operation

HIMARS multiple launch rocket system
©EPA-EFE/TOMS KALNINS

Russian air defense forces intercepted three rockets of the US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system and destroyed three drones of the Ukrainian army over the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Friday.

"In the past 24 hours, air defense capabilities intercepted three rockets of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system, and also destroyed three Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles in areas near the settlements of Marinskoye and Zelyony Gai in the Kherson Region," the spokesman said.

Russian forces destroy 30 Ukrainian troops in Kupyansk area

Russian forces struck Ukrainian army units in the Kupyansk area, eliminating roughly 30 enemy troops over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Kupyansk direction, aircraft and artillery of the western battlegroup struck the Ukrainian army units in areas near the settlements of Sinkovka and Berestovoye in the Kharkov Region. As many as 30 Ukrainian personnel, two armored combat vehicles, a motor vehicle and a D-20 howitzer were destroyed," the spokesman said.

Russian forces destroy 85 Ukrainian troops in Krasny Liman area

Russian forces destroyed 85 Ukrainian troops in the Krasny Liman area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Krasny Liman direction, assault aircraft, artillery and units of the battlegroup Center inflicted damage on the enemy manpower and equipment in areas near the settlements of Chervonaya Dibrova in the Lugansk People’s Republic in their active operations," the spokesman said.

As many as 85 Ukrainian personnel, three armored combat vehicles, three pickup trucks, a D-20 howitzer and a Gvozdika self-propelled artillery gun were destroyed in that area in the past 24 hours, the general specified.

Russian forces destroy 260 Ukrainian troops, mercenaries in Donetsk advance

Russian forces destroyed roughly 260 Ukrainian troops and mercenaries in their advance in the Donetsk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Donetsk direction, as many as 260 Ukrainian personnel and mercenaries, four infantry fighting vehicles, four armored personnel carriers, two armored combat vehicles, six motor vehicles, four pickup trucks and a D-30 howitzer were destroyed in the past 24 hours as a result of active operations by units and artillery of the southern battlegroup," the spokesman said.

Russian forces destroy 35 Ukrainian troops in southern Donetsk, Zaporozhye areas

Russian forces destroyed about 35 Ukrainian troops and two howitzers in the southern Donetsk and Zaporozhye areas over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

In the southern Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, aircraft and artillery of the battlegroup East struck the Ukrainian army units near the settlements of Novomikhailovka and Ugledar in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the spokesman specified.

"The enemy’s total losses amounted to 35 Ukrainian personnel, two pickup trucks and also D-30 and D-20 howitzers," the general said.

Russian forces eliminate 30 Ukrainian troops, howitzer in Kherson area

Russian forces destroyed about 30 Ukrainian troops and a self-propelled howitzer in the Kherson area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Kherson direction, as many as 30 Ukrainian personnel, 16 motor vehicles and an Akatsiya self-propelled howitzer were destroyed in the past 24 hours as a result of damage inflicted on the enemy by firepower," the spokesman said.

Russian forces wipe out Ukrainian army’s fuel depot in Kherson area

Russian forces wiped out a Ukrainian army’s fuel depot in the Kherson Region over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the area of the settlement of Otradokamenka in the Kherson Region, a fuel depot of the 126th territorial defense brigade was obliterated," the spokesman said.

The Russian Defense Ministry spoke about the successes of the Vostok group

In the past 24 hours, Russian forces struck 74 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions, manpower and military hardware in 76 areas, the general said.

In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 404 Ukrainian warplanes, 227 helicopters, 3,625 unmanned aerial vehicles, 415 surface-to-air missile systems, 8,487 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,076 multiple rocket launchers, 4,469 field artillery guns and mortars and 9,231 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation in Ukraine, Konashenkov reported.

Special operation of the Russian Federation, March 29. Main:

▪️In the Donetsk direction, the losses of Kyiv amounted to 310 military, in the Kherson direction - up to 40, in the Yuzhno-Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions more than 50, the RF Ministry of Defense reported;

Mercenaries from Poland and Georgia defended the southern outskirts of Artemovsk, a Wagner fighter told RIA Novosti

▪️The Russian military destroyed a communications center and four command posts of the Ukrainian army in the DPR, the Russian Defense Ministry said;

▪️The military of the Russian Federation destroyed the control center for Ukrainian drones near Kherson, the head of the press center of the Dnepr group told RIA Novosti;

▪️Achieving the goals of the operation in Ukraine in a political and diplomatic way is impossible, said the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Peskov;

▪️Hybrid war against Russia for a long time, he added;

▪️Zelensky announced his readiness to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Ukraine;

▪️China maintains communication with all parties on the Ukrainian issue, but there is no specific information, the Chinese Foreign Ministry commented on Zelensky's words;

▪️Beijing itself decides whether it is appropriate to meet with Zelensky, Moscow has no right to advise, Peskov said;

▪️IAEA Director General Grossi visited Zaporizhzhya NPP, stating that the organization is developing a new concept for the protection of nuclear power plants;

▪️This concept provides for a narrowing of the security zone around the ZNPP, in contrast to what the previous plan of the protective zone envisaged, Grossi noted;

▪️ There are no plans for the visit of the IAEA Director General to Moscow, said Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov, Peskov noted that contacts between Putin and Grossi are not planned in the foreseeable schedule.

Special operation, 30 March. Main:

▪️Ukraine shelled Troitskoe in the LPR from HIMARS, one civilian died, 14 were injured, the JCCC reported

▪️Russian air defense for the first time shot down a new Ukrainian operational-tactical missile "Grom-2" in the air in the NVO zone, the Russian Defense Ministry reported

▪️The Russian Armed Forces in the Kupyansk direction destroyed three Ukrainian DRGs and disrupted the rotation of enemy units in the forefront, RIA Novosti was told in the Russian Defense Ministry

▪️Soon it will be possible to talk about the actual environment of Artemovsk, Pushilin said

▪️Turkey does not need to repeat anti-Russian sanctions after the West, first of all, a dialogue is needed, presidential candidate Sinan Ogan told RIA Novosti

▪️Erdogan says he won't let the West drag his country into a war against Russia

▪️The head of the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine asked the large international companies in the energy sector, "received incredible profits" due to the conflict in Ukraine, to send part of the money to restore the country's energy infrastructure

▪️Poland will require athletes from the Russian Federation to condemn the special operation to participate in the European Games, said the Minister of Sports and Tourism of the country

▪️The governor of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra said that the Lord would not forgive Zelensky the eviction of representatives of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church from it.