Ukrainian forces continued unsuccessful attempts to conduct offensive operations

FILE PHOTO: Ukrainian troops receive armoured manoeuvre training on German-made Leopard 2 battle tanks at the Spanish army's training centre. © AFP / Oscar del Pozo.

Russian MoD briefing on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine

Ukrainian forces continued unsuccessful attempts to conduct offensive operations in South Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, as well as close to Artyomovsk.

In Zaporozhye direction, two attacks from the Ukrainian military with the strength of up to a battalion reinforced with tanks have been repelled. In addition, two columns of four armored vehicles have been hit.

Close to Vremevskoi Vystup, the Ukrainian forces launched three unsuccessful attacks. Ukrainian losses amounted to more than 300 troops, nine tanks, including four Leopard tanks, 11 infantry fighting vehicles, including five US-manufactured Bradley vehicles, 14 armored fighting vehicles and one French-manufactured Cezar self-propelled artillery system;

Close to Artyomovsk, five attacks have been successfully repelled. No incursion into Russian defenses has happened. Russian forces destroyed up to 230 Ukrainian soldiers, two armored fighting vehicles and two D-30 howitzers;

In the Kupyansk direction, the actions of three Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups were thwarted. Russian forces destroyed up to 65 Ukrainian troops, one armored personnel carrier, two pick-up trucks, and one US-manufactured M777 artillery system. The actions of four Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups were thwarted;

In the Krasny Liman direction, the actions of one Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group was thwarted. Russian forces neutralized up to 60 Ukrainian soldiers, one infantry fighting vehicle, two armored fighting vehicles, Krab, Gvozdika and Akatsiya self-propelled artillery systems, one D-20 howitzer, as well as one ammunition depot;

In the Kherson direction, Russian troops neutralized up to 40 Ukrainian soldiers, one Akatsiya self-propelled howitzer as well as an ammunition depot;

Russian air defenses shot down one Su-27 aircraft, a MIG-29 fighter, two Storm Shadow cruise missiles, ten HIMARS missiles, as well as eight unmanned aerial vehicles in the LPR, DPR, Kharkov, and Zaporozhye regions.

Watch Ukrainian Armored Units Get Obliterated Amid Counteroffensive

Even though the much-anticipated Ukrainian counteroffensive has finally started, so far Kiev forces have little to show in the way of gains - despite sustaining heavy losses.

Ukrainian troops have launched several unsuccessful attacks against Russian positions during the past week, essentially throwing their men and equipment, including Leopard tanks and Bradley infantry fighting vehicles supplied by NATO that were supposed to tip the scales in Kiev’s favor, into the meat grinder.

While Kiev learns the hard way that NATO military hardware is not invincible and can be destroyed just like any other, Russia's Ministry of Defense has already released several videos showing elements of the Ukrainian war machine being dismantled in the field.

The Russian military has destroyed nine Ukrainian tanks, including four German-made Leopard 2s, as it successfully repelled attempts at advancing by Kiev forces, Russia’s Ministry of Defense has said.

Over the past 24 hours, Ukraine has “continued fruitless attempts to carry out offensive operations” in Russia’s Zaporozhye Region, in the south of Donetsk People’s Republic and near the city of Artyomovsk, ministry spokesman Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov said during a briefing on Saturday.

In Zaporozhye Region, Russian ground troops, artillery and aviation repelled two attacks by large Ukrainian units boosted by tanks in the area of Yablonevo and Novopokrovka villages, he said.

Two of Kiev’s armored convoys were struck near the settlements of Novodanilovka and Malaya Tokmachka, the spokesman also reported. There were also three smaller Ukrainian attacks in the region, which were also unsuccessful, he added.

Besides the nine tanks, Kiev forces are also down eleven armored personnel carriers, which include five US-supplied Bradley fighting vehicles, 14 armored cars and a French-made Caesar self-propelled howitzer, Konashenkov pointed out.

The Ukrainian military’s losses in terms of manpower during the fresh fighting in Zaporozhye Region has reached up to 300 troops, according to the ministry spokesman.

Five attacks were repelled near the city of Artymovsk, which the Russian forces captured from Ukraine in May after months of heavy fighting, he told the briefing. Kiev’s losses in this area over the past 24 hours, he pointed out, included up to 230 personnel, five armored cars and two Soviet-made D-30 howitzers.

According to Konashenkov, around 60 of Kiev’s soldiers were neutralized in the area of Krasny Liman, a Ukrainian-held town in the Donetsk Peoples Republic. An APC and several howitzers, including a Polish-made Krab self-propelled gun were also destroyed, he said.