Russia MoD unveils tally of 29th day of spec op in Ukraine

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Russian defense ministry spokesperson Igor Konashenkov said that Russian forces had fully seized control of Izyum in the Kharkov region.

"The Russian armed forces continue to fulfill the tasks of the special military operation. By the morning of March 24, units of the Russian army completely took control of the city of Izyum, Kharkov region," he said.

The Russian Defense Ministry reported that high-precision long-range air and sea-based weapons have struck Ukrainian military facilities over the last 24 hours, adding that 13 anti-aircraft missile launcher systems, including 9 S-300 and 4 Buk-M1 systems, as well as a formation headquarters, a missile and artillery weapons depot, and a temporary deployment point of the nationalist battalion, were destroyed as a result of the strikes.

Furthermore, 60 Ukrainian Armed Forces assets were hit by operational-tactical and army aviation, according to the ministry.

Russian Aerospace Forces warplanes and air defense units shot down two Ukrainian drones near Kharkov, it added.

Since the beginning of the special military operation, 257 drones, 202 anti-aircraft missile systems, 1,572 tanks, and other armored combat vehicles, 160 multiple launch rocket systems, 633 field artillery and mortars, and 1,379 units of special military vehicles of Ukraine's Armed Forces were destroyed, according to the ministry.

Russia launched its special military operation for several reasons, including NATO's eastward expansion. Other reasons were the Ukrainian shelling of Donbass and the killing of the people of the Donetsk People's Republic and Lugansk People's Republic, in addition to Moscow wanting to "denazify" and demilitarize Ukraine.