Donetsk: The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that its forces liberated the towns of Gruzskoye and Nikanorovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, a statement from the Ministry of Defense indicated that Russian forces launched a large-scale offensive and 17 mass strikes targeting military and industrial facilities, as well as fuel and energy installations, operating on behalf of Ukrainian forces.

The statement added: “Russian air defense systems destroyed 49 aerial bombs, 19 HIMARS missiles, 8 Flamingo missiles, and 6,093 Ukrainian drones. Eight cargo ships and a container ship operating on behalf of Ukrainian forces were also targeted.”

It confirmed: “The Black Sea Fleet destroyed 14 Ukrainian unmanned surface vessels in the Black Sea.”

The statement clarified: “The total losses of the Ukrainian armed forces amounted to approximately 9,685 military personnel across all combat fronts.