LIVE UPDATES - Russian Air Defenses Intercept Two US-made HIMARS Rockets in Ukraine Operation

©Russian Defence Ministry Press Service/TASS

Russian air defense forces intercepted two rockets of the US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system and destroyed 11 Ukrainian drones over the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Friday.

"During the last 24-hour period, air defense capabilities intercepted two rockets of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system. In addition, they destroyed 11 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles in areas near the settlements of Olginka and Privolnoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Karmazinovka and Novokrasnyanka in the Lugansk People’s Republic and Removka in the Zaporozhye Region," the spokesman said.

Russian forces destroy 30 Ukrainian troops in Kupyansk area

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

The operational-tactical aviation of Russia hit the point of the Odessa naval guard deployed to the Kherson region, the enemy’s losses amounted to 50 people, Alexei Rulev, head of the press center of the Dnepr group, told RIA Novosti

"In the Kupyansk direction, aircraft and artillery of the western battlegroup struck the Ukrainian army units in areas near the settlements of Sinkovka and Kislovka in the Kharkov Region. As many as 30 Ukrainian personnel, two motor vehicles and a D-30 howitzer were destroyed in the past 24 hours," the spokesman said.

Russian forces eliminate over 50 Ukrainian troops in Krasny Liman area

Russian forces eliminated over 50 Ukrainian troops and a Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system in the Krasny Liman area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Krasny Liman direction, assault aircraft, artillery and active operations by units of the battlegroup Center inflicted damage on the enemy in the area of the settlement of Terny in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

Over 50 Ukrainian personnel, two armored combat vehicles, a pickup truck, a Gvozdika self-propelled artillery gun and a D-30 howitzer were destroyed in that area in the past 24 hours, the general specified.

Russian forces destroy 260 Ukrainian troops in Donetsk advance

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

"In the Donetsk direction, three tanks, an infantry fighting vehicle, three armored combat vehicles, eight motor vehicles, a Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, Msta-B and D-20 howitzers, and also about 260 Ukrainian personnel were destroyed in the past 24 hours as a result of active operations by units of the southern battlegroup and artillery fire," the spokesman said.

Russian forces destroy 20 Ukrainian troops in southern Donetsk, Zaporozhye areas

Russian forces destroyed roughly 20 Ukrainian troops and a D-20 howitzer 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 in areas near the settlements of Novomikhailovka and Ugledar in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the spokesman specified.

Fighters of the Wagner group are advancing from the center of Artemovsk to the western districts of the city, while retreating Ukrainian troops blow up buildings, RIA Novosti correspondent reports.

"The enemy’s losses in those directions in the past 24 hours amounted to 20 Ukrainian personnel, two pickup trucks and a D-20 howitzer," the general said.

Russian forces wipe out 14 Ukrainian troops, three artillery guns in Kherson area

Russian forces destroyed 14 Ukrainian troops and three artillery guns in the Kherson area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Kherson direction, 14 Ukrainian personnel, two motor vehicles, two Gvozdika self-propelled artillery guns and an Akatsiya motorized artillery system were destroyed in the past 24 hours as a result of damage inflicted by firepower," the spokesman said.

Russian forces strike Ukrainian army’s command post in Kherson area

Russian forces struck a Ukrainian command post in the Kherson area and destroyed two enemy ammunition depots in the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the area of the settlement of Novoberislav in the Kherson Region, the command/observation post of a unit from the [Ukrainian army’s] 126th territorial defense brigade was struck. In addition, two Ukrainian ammunition depots were destroyed in areas near the settlements of Ivanovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Novolyubovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

Russian forces strike 86 Ukrainian artillery units in past day

Russian forces struck 86 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"Operational/tactical aircraft, missile troops and artillery of the Russian group of forces struck 86 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions, manpower and equipment in 102 areas," the spokesman said.

In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 406 Ukrainian warplanes, 228 helicopters, 3,695 unmanned aerial vehicles, 415 surface-to-air missile systems, 8,563 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,078 multiple rocket launchers, 4,525 field artillery guns and mortars and 9,334 special military motor vehicles since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine, Konashenkov reported.

Key takeaways from a Russian MoD briefing on US military and biological activities:

▪️The US Department of Energy, together with the Pentagon, is the main organizer of and direct participant in the US military biological activities;

▪️The goals of the US biological programs prove that Washington views former Soviet countries as a springboard for the deployment of NATO forces;

▪️Each new strain of the coronavirus had improved military-biological properties, which may indicate an artificial increase in its pathogenicity;

▪️There is a risk of the spread of dangerous pathogens in the areas of foreign biological laboratories controlled by the US;

▪️The Pentagon will continue research on bio-objects in Ukraine and other countries due to the vague reaction of the world community and the fear of arguing with Washington;

▪️The Pentagon finances dual-use projects through a system of grants;

▪️The drills that will be held in Warsaw in April could be a guise for the preparation of provocations with biological weapons;

▪️Participants of the training exercises will be invited to continue working on closed projects on Ukrainian territory and beyond.