Russia says it carried out 25 group strikes on Ukraine's military objects over past week

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - The Russian Defense Ministry said on Saturday that it carried out 25 group strikes on military objects in Ukraine over the past week.

The ministry said in a statement that the strikes were carried out with high-precision weapons and drones in response to Ukraine's attacks on objects of Russia's energy infrastructure.

In the past weeks, Kyiv hit several major oil refineries and fuel storages in Russia using drones, including in the cities of Krasnodar and Smolensk, and also in Tatarstan and other regions.

The ministry said a retaliatory attack targeted Ukraine's energy and transport infrastructure, enterprises of the military-industrial complex, storage sites for missiles and ammunition, as well as workshops for the production of unmanned boats and unmanned aerial vehicles.

"The points of temporary deployment of units of nationalist formations and foreign mercenaries, accumulations of Ukraine's armed forces manpower and military equipment were also hit," it said.

The ministry noted that over the past week, three Ukrainian settlements went under the control of the Russian forces -- Berdychi, Novobakhmutivka, and Semenivka.

In total, since the beginning of the "special military operation" 593 aircraft, 270 helicopters, 23,742 drones, 512 anti-aircraft missile systems, 15,911 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,279 multiple rocket launchers, 9,289 field artillery and mortars, as well as 21,471 military vehicles have been destroyed, it said.

Ukraine is yet to comment on Russia's claims.