The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation showed the launch of the R-500 cruise missile by the Iskander-K complex at a military facility in Ukraine.
Earlier on Thursday, the department said that over the past day, Russian troops had hit 48 areas of concentration of manpower and military equipment of Ukrainian troops and two ammunition depots in the areas of Nikolaevka and Berestovoye in the DPR with high-precision missiles over the past day.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, as of May 26, since the beginning of the special operation, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have destroyed: 179 aircraft, 127 helicopters, 1,019 unmanned aerial vehicles, 323 anti-aircraft missile systems, 3,266 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 433 multiple rocket launchers, 1,682 guns field artillery and mortar, as well as 3190 units of special military vehicles.
On May 25, the department said that Russian troops launched a strike with three Kalibr missiles at the military infrastructure of Ukraine by a frigate from the Black Sea.
Russia announced the start of a special operation to protect the civilian population of Donbass on February 24. As Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov clarified, the special operation has two goals – the demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine. According to him, both of these aspects pose a threat to the Russian state and people.
The operation began against the backdrop of the situation in the Donbass that worsened in mid-February. The authorities of the DPR and LPR reported increased shelling by Ukrainian troops, announced the evacuation of civilians in the Russian Federation and asked for recognition of independence. On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a corresponding decree.