74 Ukrainian army ground facilities disabled: Russia

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The Russian military has disabled 74 ground facilities of the Ukrainian military structure, Russian Defense Ministry spokesperson Igor Konashenkov said Thursday. 

"As a result of the strikes of the Russian armed forces, 74 ground objects of the military infrastructure of Ukraine were put out of action," the defense official said.

According to Moscow, the objects included 11 air force airfields, three command posts, a base point for the navy, and 18 radar stations of S-300 and Buk-M1 anti-aircraft missile systems.

Military airport in Lutsk, Ukraine destroyed. Tactical strikes on military installations continue. pic.twitter.com/YBDBRDlQQ9

— Live Monitor (@amlivemon) February 24, 2022

Konashenkov also mentioned that a Russian Su-25 aircraft crashed during the operation in Ukraine due to a piloting error, revealing that the pilot survived the crash and returned to base.

He also unveiled that Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu ordered the Russian troops to treat their Ukrainian counterparts with dignity. 

The situation has been escalating in Donbass, near the Russian borders, following the Russian recognition of the independence of Lugansk and the People's Republics.

Destroyed tanks allegedly 5 km from Kherson, Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/Ly9K41Yydk

— Aldin 🇧🇦 (@aldin_ww) February 24, 2022

Tensions had been soaring between Russia and Ukraine over the Donbass region and announcing it was intending to sign a decree recognizing the independence of the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR) and the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR). 

The announcement had been preceded by intense Ukrainian shelling of the two republics, and Russia's recognition of their statehood was a move to protect the innocent civilians from the Ukrainian aggressions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had earlier authorized a special military operation in Donbass this Thursday morning, citing neo-Nazi NATO allies moving closer to his nation's border.

In response to the Russian operation in Donbass, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland have agreed to hold consultations in accordance with NATO's Article 4.

Russia has for months been warning of the threat posed against it by NATO's attempts to expand eastward, which happened simultaneously with an increase in NATO military activity along Russia's borders, and batches of lethal weapons being sent to Ukraine, prompting Russia to request security guarantees from the West. Washington failed to provide the guarantees.