LIVE UPDATES: Most of Mercenaries Surrounded on 'Azovstal' Are From European Countries - MoD

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Russian forces have eliminated more than 470 Ukrainian drones since the start of the special military operation in Ukraine, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said.

"In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, the following have been destroyed: 136 aircraft, 471 unmanned aerial vehicles, 249 anti-aircraft missile systems, 2,308 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 254 multiple launch rocket systems, 998 field artillery guns and mortars, and 2,171 special military vehicles," Konashenkov said on Sunday.

He added that Russian rocket forces and artillery have hit four Ukrainian command posts, four artillery batteries, two fuel depots and more than 100 other Ukrainian targets.

Ukraine has asked Moldova to sell or hand over its MiG-29 fighter jets, but Chisinau has refused in order not to undermine relations with Russia, the Ukrainian website European Pravda reported on Sunday, citing sources.

According to the news outlet, Kiev made the request during the first days of the Russian special operation but was rebuffed by the Moldovan leadership, which explained that it did not want to irritate Moscow as it could view that move as a violation of the principle of neutrality.

The Moldovan Defence Ministry is said to have six MiG-29 fighter jets, which are operational but have not been deployed in a long time. Chisinau has been trying to sell them for a while but to no avail.

Russian aerospace forces have also destroyed another 44 objects of Ukrainian military infrastructure, he said.

Ukrainian troops have fired 331 shells toward the civilian infrastructure of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) during the past day, having partially or completely destroyed 24 houses, DPR People's Militia spokesman Eduard Basurin said on Sunday.

"A total of 331 projectiles over the past day, mainly calibers 152mm and 122mm and Grad [multiple rocket launchers]. They targeted Donetsk, Yasinovataya, Gorlovka, and Panteleimonovka. More than 24 houses have been destroyed either partially or completely," Basurin said.

He added that none of the targeted areas stationed the military, opining that Ukrainian troops appear to be deliberately targeting civilian areas.

The Russian armed forces have destroyed 1,035 foreign mercenaries in Ukraine, the Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said.

"During combat operations, 1,035 foreign mercenaries were destroyed by the Russian armed forces. Another 912 mercenaries refused to participate in the hostilities and fled the country," Konashenkov said in a morning briefing.

In Mariupol alone, about 400 foreign mercenaries among Ukrainian troops are surrounded by Russian forces at Azovstal metallurgical plant, mostly citizens of European countries and Canada, Konashenkov said.

"We have already said earlier that radio conversations between militants in Mariupol are being carried out in six foreign languages. In the event of further resistance, all of them [foreign mercenaries] will be destroyed," the spokesman said.

In total, Kiev has attracted 6,824 foreign mercenaries from 63 countries to Ukraine since the start of Russia's special military operation, Konashenkov said.

The largest group of 1,717 mercenaries came from Poland, 1,500 people arrived from the United States, Canada, and Romania, 300 from each of the United Kingdom and Georgia, and 193 from Turkish-controlled areas of Syria. The vast majority of foreign mercenaries are fighting in the cities of Kiev, Kharkov, Odessa, Nikolaev and Mariupol, the spokesman added.

"As a result of hostilities, the number of mercenaries is steadily declining, and today it amounts to 4,877 people," he stressed.

Konashenkov stressed that foreign mercenaries in Ukraine do not have the status of combatants under international humanitarian law, so they will face criminal liability and long-term imprisonment, at best.

The Russian military destroyed an ammunition factory near the village of Brovary in the Kiev region with high-precision air-launched missiles, Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said on Sunday.

"During the night, an ammunition factory near the village of Brovary, Kiev region, was destroyed with high-precision air-launched missiles," Konashenkov said.

Volodin also stressed that Zelenskyy must withdraw Ukrainian troops from the Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics, recognize Russia's sovereignty over Crimea and make a commitment not to join NATO if he really cares about Ukrainian citizens.