Ukraine has lost some 600 military over the past day as a result of offensive attempts in the South Donetsk, Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.
Over the past day, Ukrainian troops continued to attempt offensive operations in the South Donetsk, Zaporozhye and Donetsk directions. Russian troops carried out strikes on enemy units in the area of the Vremevka ledge, the ministry said in a statement, adding that Russia repelled two attacks by Ukraine in the Zaporozhye direction.
"The total losses of the enemy in the South Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions over the past day amounted to 200 Ukrainian military, eight tanks, six infantry fighting vehicles, 13 armored combat vehicles, three vehicles, two D-20 howitzers, a Msta-B howitzer, a self-propelled artillery system Gvozdika, as well as the Grad MLRS combat vehicle," the ministry said.
Russian troops also repulsed 10 attacks by Ukrainian forces in the Donetsk direction in past the 24 hours, the ministry said.
"During the hostilities, up to 400 Ukrainian military, one tank, two armored combat vehicles, and eight vehicles were destroyed," the statement read.
Putin Meets Graduates of Higher Military Educational Institutions
On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold his annual meeting with graduates of Russian military educational institutions at the Grand Kremlin Palace.
Sputnik Media is live as Russian President Vladimir Putin holds a meeting with graduates of higher military educational institutions in Moscow.
In particular, there will be graduates of educational organizations of the Ministry of Defense, EMERCOM, Federal Security Service, Federal Protective Service, Rosgvardia, Interior Ministry, and Federal Penitentiary Service.
WATCH: Russian Army Continues to Aid Regions Hit by Ukraine Attack on Kakhovka Dam
The upper part of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant located on the Dnepr River was damaged on 6 June by Ukrainian forces. Authorities in some of the affected areas evacuated the population.
Russia's Ministry of Defense has published footage showing members of the Russian services' Dnepr detachment who were among the first to come to the rescue of residents in the Kherson Region after Ukrainian forces destroyed the Kakhovka dam and flooded the surrounding area.
At present, Russia’s radiation, chemical and biological protection troops have begun disinfecting infrastructure affected by the post-attack flooding.
The Kakhovka HPP is the sixth and last stage of the cascade of Dnepr hydroelectric power plants located 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) from the city of Novaya Kakhovka in the Kherson Region.
Special operation, 19 June. Main:
▪️The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that the Russian Armed Forces launched a strike with high-precision weapons from the sea at the places of storage of foreign military equipment of the Ukrainian troops, all objects were hit;
▪️The defense department stressed that the activities of three Ukrainian DRGs were stopped in the Krasnolymansk direction, two in the Kupyansk direction;
▪️The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation noted that Kiev lost more than 340 militants per day in the Donetsk direction, more than 100 in the Yuzhno-Donetsk direction, up to 45 in the Kupyansky direction, up to 150 in the Krasnolymansky direction, and more than 40 people in the Kherson direction;
▪️Director of the SVR Naryshkin said that Kyiv could continue working on the creation of a "dirty nuclear bomb".
▪️The FSB stopped an attempt by the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine to organize terrorist attacks against the heads of the administration of the Zaporozhye region, the FSB of the Russian Federation reported;
▪️Rogov told RIA Novosti that a large Ukrainian DRG disguised in Russian uniform was liquidated in the Zaporozhye region;
▪️Volnovakha Mayor Zinchenko told RIA Novosti that as a result of the shelling of the city by Ukrainian troops, 20 people were injured, several of them in serious condition;
The Israeli Ministry of Defense denied RIA Novosti press reports that Israeli Merkava tanks could be transferred to Ukraine.