MOSCOW, March 12 (TASS) - The Russian troops have wiped out 3,491 Ukrainian military facilities since the beginning of their special operation in Ukraine, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Major-General Igor Konashenkov said on Saturday.

"Over the period of the special operation, 3,491 Ukrainian military infrastructure facilities have been destroyed, including 123 drones, 1,127 tanks and other armored vehicles, 115 multiple rocket launchers, 423 field artillery guns and mortars, 934 special military vehicles," the spokesman said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on February 24 that in response to a request by the heads of the Donbass republics he had made a decision to carry out a special military operation in Ukraine in order to protect people "who have been suffering from abuse and genocide by the Kiev regime for eight years." The Russian leader stressed that Moscow had no plans of occupying Ukrainian territories and the operation was aimed at demilitarizing and denazifying Ukraine.

When clarifying the developments unfolding, the Russian Defense Ministry reassured that Russian troops are not targeting Ukrainian cities, but are limited to surgically striking and incapacitating Ukrainian military infrastructure. There are no threats whatsoever to the civilian population.