Starting from June 4, the armed forces of Ukraine lost over 26,000 servicemen and more than 3,000 items of military hardware during their so-called counter-offensive, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu has told reporters.
"The adversary’s losses beginning from June 4 have reached over 26,000 servicemen and 3,000 items of various pieces of armament," he said.
In his words, Russian troops destroyed 21 planes, five helicopters, 1,244 tanks and other armored vehicles, 17 German-made Leopard tanks, five AMX tanks produced by France and 12 US-made Bradley infantry fighting vehicles in the reported period.
Moreover, Russian forces eliminated 914 special automotive equipment, two air defense systems, 25 multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRS), 403 field artillery cannons and mortars.
Russian air defense systems shot down 176 HIMARS rockets, 27 Storm Shadow air-launched cruise missiles and 483 drones of the Ukrainian armed forces.
Shoigu underscored the damage done to the Ukrainian artillery.
"Once again, I repeat, 403 [artillery] weapons [have been destroyed], including 43 US-made artillery pieces and 46 self-propelled artillery weapons from Poland, the United States and France," the minister emphasized.
He added that Russian troops continue to strike the enemy’s reserves and West-supplied military equipment with its high-precision weapons, thus reducing the offensive potential of the Ukrainian armed forces.
According to Shoigu, foreign intelligence services, primarily those of the United States and NATO, are closely following and analyzing Russia’s combat operations and note "the high efficacy of our defense lines and barrier minefields, [and the] professional work of army aviation and ground-attack aircraft who carry out pre-emptive strike at the adversary’s targets.".
Unsuccessfull Counteroffensive Effort
He stressed that Kiev continues to unsuccessfully try to break through the defense of the Russian military in different directions, and several waves of attacks have been launched in two days, the minister said.
"They are actively fighting, trying to break through our defenses in different directions. Just over the past two days, several waves of attacks have been launched," the minister said.
High-precision strikes of the Russian military against the reserves of the Ukrainian military, including Western equipment, significantly reduce the offensive potential of the enemy, the minister concluded. Shoigu stressed that should the US supply Ukraine with cluster munitions, the Russian Armed Forces would use similar arms against Kiev militants.
Sergey Shoigu added that the Russian Armed Forces launched its own counterattack in Krasny Liman direction and advanced 1.5 km.
Shoigu - Russia warns US about cluster bombs
If Washington makes good on its promise to send cluster munitions to Kiev, the Russian military will use its own diverse arsenal on the battlefield, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said on Tuesday.
“If the US supplies cluster munitions to Ukraine, the Russian Armed Forces will be compelled to use equivalent weapons against the Ukrainian forces, by way of response,” Shoigu told reporters while visiting military factories in Tatarstan.
“It should be noted that Russia has cluster munitions, as they say, for all occasions,” Shoigu added. “They are much more effective than American ones, their range is broader and more diverse.”
Just like the US and Ukraine, Russia is not a party to the Convention of Cluster Munitions, Shoigu noted. However, Moscow has refrained from using its arsenal during the current conflict, “cognizant of the threat that such ammunition poses to the civilian population.
send dual-purpose improved conventional munitions (DPICM) artillery shells to Ukraine, claiming the danger to civilians was not great because Russia has allegedly used such ammunition before. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl told reporters that the US was aware of the danger such weapons pose to civilians, but that a Russian victory would be worse.
Shoigu pointed out that the US has given “various excuses” for the cluster bomb decision, including that they have run out of conventional 155mm artillery ammunition. This was a reference to what US President Joe Biden said in an interview with CNN, aired over the weekend.
Moscow’s ambassador to Washington, Anatoly Antonov, has described the delivery of cluster munitions to Ukraine as “a gesture of desperation” and an “act of madness” showcasing the impotence of Americans and their satellites.
According to Shoigu, Russian forces are already taking “organizational and technical” measures to protect both men and vehicles from the effects of US cluster munitions. The defense minister was in the Russian Republic of Tatarstan on Tuesday to visit the Central Military District. As part of his visit, he toured the Kamaz military vehicle factory and several other defense enterprises.
Western Intelligence Study the Combat Work of Russian Armed Forces
The intelligence services of the United States and other NATO countries carefully monitor and analyze the results of the combat work of the Russian military, Shoigu stressed.
"We know that the results of our combat work are carefully monitored and analyzed by foreign intelligence services, primarily the United States and NATO countries," Shoigu said.
Western intelligence agencies note the high efficiency of the defense of the Russian armed forces, minefields, preemptive airstrikes, as well as the highest resilience of the Russian military and the prompt response measures of commanders, the minister concluded.
Russian Supreme Commander-in-Chief Carefully Monitors the Situation
Russian President Vladimir Putin carefully monitors the situation – he is is briefed twice a day by the command of the Combined Group, as well as individual commanders with detailed reports on the current situation of the special military operation, Shoigu said.
"I want to emphasize that, despite his workload, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief twice a day hears in detail the report of the command of the Combined Group, as well as individual commanders on the situation. In detail in each direction," Defense Minister stressed.
All commanders at all levels understand and feel the full responsibility for the tasks assigned to them, the minister underscored.
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