Map of special operations in Ukraine on January 5

Russia has been conducting a special military operation to protect civilians in Donbas since February 24, 2022. You can track the progress of the advance of the joint troops of Russia, the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics (DNR and LNR), as well as view a map of military operations as of January 5 in the Izvestiya piece.

The Defense Ministry said that units of the Center group of forces continued to advance deep into the defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) and defeated the manpower and equipment of four mechanized, motorized infantry, gamekeeper, airmobile brigades, an enemy assault battalion, a marine brigade, two brigades of terro-defense and two brigades of the National Guard in the areas of settlements of the DNR. The Russian military also repelled 17 counterattacks by the Ukrainian army.

The Ukrainian armed forces lost more than 410 servicemen in this direction.

In addition, the fighter aviation of the Russian Air and Space Forces (VKS) shot down a Ukrainian MiG-29 aircraft.

The defense ministry also added that air defense means shot down three French-made Hammer guided bombs, a US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) and 174 aircraft-type drones.

"Our fighters have their own home behind them, literally."

How tankers of the 51st Donetsk Army destroy Ukrainian militants' strongholds in the Toretsk direction

A total of 652 aircraft, 283 helicopters, 39,453 UAVs, 590 air defense missile systems (SAMs), 20,234 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,506 MLRS combat vehicles, 20,207 field artillery and mortars, and 29,883 units of special military vehicles have been destroyed since the beginning of the special military operation.

For more up-to-date video and details on the situation in Donbas, see Izvestiya TV channel.