Facts about Russia-Ukraine conflict: Russian aerospace forces destroy three Ukrainian aircrafts

BEIJING, July 16 (Xinhua) -- The following are the latest developments in the Ukraine crisis:

Fighter aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces destroyed three Ukrainian aircraft in an air battle, including two MiG-29s in the settlements of Novopavlovka in the Nikolaev region and Vladimirovka in the Dnepropetrovsk region, the Russian Defense Ministry said Saturday.

The other Su-25 was destroyed in the area of Seversk, it added.

In addition, two Ukrainian helicopters were shot down in the air, including a Mi-8 and a Mi-24.

A total of 256 Ukrainian airplanes and 139 helicopters, 1,557 drones, 355 anti-aircraft missile systems, 4,073 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 746 multiple launch rocket systems, 3,149 field artillery and mortars, and 4,253 special military vehicles were destroyed in the course of the special military operation.

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Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has instructed the country's armed forces to "intensify actions in all directions" to prevent the Ukrainian troops from massively shelling Donbass and other regions, the Russian Defense Ministry said Saturday.

Shoigu has paid an inspection visit to Russia's South and Center military groupings, which are involved in the special military operation in Ukraine, the ministry said in a statement.

He heard reports from the commanders of the two military groupings on the Ukrainian forces' actions and the progress of the Russian forces' combat missions. Shoigu presented medals to two generals for their work in the special military operation.

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Russian armed forces launched missile strikes at a building of the garrison house of officers in the Western city of Vinnytsia in Ukraine, the Russian Defense Ministry said Friday.

The ministry said that high-precision sea-based Kalibr missiles were launched at the building.

It added that a conference was being held at the facility at the time of the strike between the command of the Ukrainian armed forces and foreign arms suppliers.