The Russian Armed Forces are ready to use Iskanders to protect the DPR, military experts say
Additional Iskander missile systems may be used in the fight against Ukrainian artillery hitting Donetsk. The leadership of the DPR turned to the Russian authorities with such a request. On June 14, the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov called the barbaric shelling by Ukraine of civilian objects in the Donbass. On the eve of the strikes in Donetsk, five people were killed and more than 30 were injured. The head of the DPR, Denis Pushilin, immediately requested military assistance from Russia in order to resist the enemy who had "crossed all the lines". Military experts note that Iskanders will be effective against Ukrainian artillery.
Barbaric shelling
On June 13, the shelling of Donetsk continued for several hours. Due to the artillery strikes of the Ukrainian armed formations, five civilians of the republic were killed, more than 30 people were wounded. Shells exploded in residential areas, at the local May market, there were hits in the city maternity hospital, from where the medical staff had to evacuate the women in labor to the basements. The media called this shelling in Donetsk one of the most intense since 2015.
— No one remembers such a massive shelling, because for about six hours almost the entire city of Donetsk was continuously shelled, - said the Mayor of Donetsk Alexey Kulemzin on the Rossiya 24 TV channel.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also spoke about this attack on June 14.
— We see absolutely barbaric shelling of civilian objects, barbaric! We have witnessed the intensification of these attacks in recent days," he stressed.
Burnt tents at the market in the Budyonnovsky district of Donetsk after shelling by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, June 13, 2022
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Sergey Averin
The press secretary of the Russian president recalled that the main tasks of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine are to ensure the safety and protection of people in Lugansk and Donetsk. Dmitry Peskov also said that it is better to contact the military department with the issue of providing additional assistance from the Russian Federation.
The day before, the head of the DPR Denis Pushilin requested military assistance from Russia. Later, the official representative of the DPR Eduard Basurin clarified what it could be.
— So that there would be more use of ground— and air-based missiles here, which would help to destroy these enemy groups faster, which concentrated a large amount of weapons, namely artillery - it was about this. Because it will help to destroy Western weapons," he explained, adding that the republic needs Iskanders, among other things.
Their missiles have high speed and accuracy, military expert Vladislav Shurygin told Izvestia.
— Iskanders allow you to strike at any point up to Kramatorsk. Of course, they will be an effective means against artillery," the expert explained. "Guided aircraft missiles will also be effective to combat Ukrainian artillery. Bomber aircraft will be able to use them without entering the area of operation of the Ukrainian air defense. Such aircraft can operate at high altitude and strike at very distant objects. We can assume that soon we will see more bombers in the sky over Donbass.
Iskander operational-tactical missile system
Image source: Photo: Global Look Press/Russian Look/Olga Sokolova
The expert noted that it is now important to shorten the time interval from detection to target defeat — this will significantly increase the effectiveness of the weapons systems used by the Russian army and the People's Militia of the DPR.
— Now the armed formations controlled by Kiev are using nomadic artillery more and more often, — Vladislav Shurygin noted. — Such batteries do not stay in one place for a long time, but quickly strike and leave their positions. It is important to have time to cover such artillery at the place where it is firing.
Destroyed the arsenal
The day after the shelling of Donetsk — on June 14 — near the town of Priluki, Chernihiv region, a Ukrainian arsenal of artillery weapons and ammunition was destroyed by Kalibr missiles, the Russian military department reported.
— In addition, 11 areas of concentration of manpower and Ukrainian military equipment, eight firing positions of artillery units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, including three platoons of multiple launch rocket systems "Grad" in the areas of the settlements of Bakhmut and Perezdnoye DNR, Lisichansk LNR, as well as two ammunition depots on the southern outskirts of Kharkov and in the area of the Gorsky LNR, — said the official representative of the Russian Defense Ministry, Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov.
Operation of the multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) "Grad" during a special military operation in Ukraine
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
Planes and helicopters of the Russian Aerospace Forces hit 101 areas of concentration of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In total, more than 350 nationalists, three control points, 13 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, six Grad multiple rocket launchers, 14 field artillery guns and 22 special vehicles were destroyed, the Defense Ministry noted.
Russian air defenses destroyed a Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter and a Mi-24 helicopter in a day. Nine unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down over the Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk regions and the territory of the DPR, as well as the Ukrainian Tochka-U ballistic missile and 14 Smerch MLRS rockets were intercepted.
Rocket troops and artillery hit 280 areas of concentration of manpower and military equipment, 18 control points, 59 firing positions of artillery and mortar units and a fuel depot.
— Since the beginning of the special military operation, 202 aircraft, 131 helicopters, 1205 unmanned aerial vehicles, 338 anti—aircraft missile systems, 3548 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 521 multiple rocket launchers, 1947 field artillery and mortars, as well as 3605 units of special military vehicles have been destroyed, - Igor Konashenkov listed.
Ukrainian Mi-24 helicopter
Image Source: Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org/Oleg Belyakov
Mariupol scenario
On June 14, the Russian military announced its readiness to conduct a humanitarian operation to evacuate civilians from the Azot plant in Severodonetsk in the direction of the city of Svatovo. For this purpose, a humanitarian corridor will be opened on June 15.
The military department also offered the Ukrainian formations and foreign mercenaries stationed at Azot to cease hostilities from 8 a.m. on June 15 and release the civilians they are holding through this corridor, as well as lay down their weapons.
— The Russian Federation guarantees the preservation of life and compliance with all the norms of the Geneva Convention on the Treatment of Prisoners of War, as happened with those who surrendered earlier in Mariupol, — said Mikhail Mizintsev, head of the National Defense Control Center of the Russian Federation.
Shots in the back
According to the Ministry of Defense, incidents have become more frequent in recent weeks when Ukrainian servicemen were shot by nationalist units. So, in the area of Novomikhailovka in the DPR, more than 30 fighters of the Ukrainian 54th mechanized brigade decided to surrender and radioed the Russian command with a request to provide an exit corridor.
At about 22 o'clock they came out with white flags towards the Russian positions.
Photo: REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko
Image source: iz.ru
— At that moment, a unit of the Ukrainian nationalists' barrage squad arrived at the stronghold on armored vehicles and opened crossfire in the back on the servicemen of the 54th Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. As a result of this shooting, 32 Ukrainian servicemen were fatally wounded and killed," Igor Konashenkov said.
Did not leave the battlefield
On June 14, the Russian Defense Ministry told about the servicemen who showed courage and dedication during the fighting.
The battalion tactical group of Senior Lieutenant Dmitry Gabov took part in the liberation of the settlement. While on the head patrol, Dmitry noticed a large group of nationalists. Having secretly positioned himself in positions, he destroyed the enemy's firing points, which provided fire support to the Russian assault groups. Dmitry himself destroyed more than two dozen nationalists.
"Thanks to the courage, dedication and courage of Senior Lieutenant Dmitry Gabov, the settlement was liberated," the military department noted.
The assault group of Senior Lieutenant Vyacheslav Boyarkin secretly made its way to the enemy's rear. A fierce battle ensued, during which a Ukrainian armored car and up to two dozen nationalists were destroyed. Two more militants laid down their weapons and surrendered, while the rest escaped.
Photo: RIA Novosti
Image source: iz.ru
The enemy tried to counterattack using armored vehicles. Vyacheslav Boyarkin's group took a circular defense. Vyacheslav was wounded, but remained in his place. The officer assessed the enemy's positions and transmitted the coordinates to the command post, after which artillery fire managed to destroy the superior forces of the VFU.
The unit of Captain Sergei Orlov carried out tasks to detect Ukrainian formations preventing the advance of the Russian armed Forces to a major railway junction. Sergey found the enemy's firing points, a sudden fire strike was inflicted on them. During a fierce battle — the enemy was firing intensely at the servicemen from three infantry fighting vehicles — Sergei Orlov's subordinates were able to destroy the positions of the militants, which helped the advance of the Russian units.
Having been wounded, Captain Orlov continued to lead the unit. As a result, it was possible to destroy three infantry fighting vehicles along with their crews. The actions of Captain Sergei Orlov allowed the Russian troops to continue advancing in a given direction without losses, the Defense Ministry stressed.
Bogdan Stepovoy
Andrey Fedorov
