Ukrainian generals are hoping for long-range Western weapons, the supply of which has already been promised by the United States
Kiev's expected arms supplies from Western countries will not be able to make a difference in the course of a special military operation in Ukraine, experts interviewed by Izvestia are sure. They note that the HIMARS missile systems promised by the United States will not threaten the Crimean Bridge, which Ukrainian politicians and the military have recently begun to call "target number one." On June 16, officials — the press secretary of the President of Russia and the Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation - also spoke about the security of the peninsula. On the same day, the head of the DPR Denis Pushilin warned: new supplies of Western weapons to the Kiev regime will force the allied troops not to stop at the borders of the People's Republic. And the head of the radiation, chemical and biological protection troops of Russia provided new facts about the activities of American biological laboratories operating in a neighboring country.
Not deliver
Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov said on June 16 that, given the nationalist sentiments in Kiev, it cannot be ruled out that Ukraine may encroach on the Russian Crimea in the future. At the same time, he stressed that the region is reliably protected.
"The security of Crimea is guaranteed by the preventive and additional measures that are being taken by our military," he said. — I can't talk about the essence of these measures, it's still a question for the military.
Dmitry Peskov said that the Russian leadership is aware of Kiev's plans to strike at the Crimean Bridge.
— As for the mention of our bridge, the Crimean Bridge, by the Ukrainian military and politicians, this [is] not the first time, we are well aware of this. Of course, we know such threats and take them into account," the Kremlin representative said.
Multiple launch rocket systems of American production HIMARS
Image Source: Photo: flickr.com
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also spoke about the Crimean Bridge.
— You know, we still have a responsible army, and all these threats are taken into account, there is no smoke without fire. And I am convinced that all these plans will fail completely," the Foreign Minister said in an interview with NTV.
Several Ukrainian military have shared their plans to seize Donbass and Crimea in recent days. In particular, the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Alexey Reznikov said that a new batch of long-range weapons received from Western countries will help to return Crimea and the entire territory of Donbass. And Ukrainian Major General Dmitry Marchenko called the Crimean Bridge "the number one goal."
The United States has already approved a new package of military assistance to Ukraine, which will include HIMARS missile systems with a range of about 80 km. Plans to supply "in large quantities" corrected M31A1 missiles for such multiple rocket launchers, as well as the M270 MLRS, were also announced in the UK.
The supply of new weapons by the West to Ukraine forces the DPR troops not to stop at the border of the Donetsk Republic, the head of the DPR Denis Pushilin said on June 16.
— The enemy, receiving new weapons, in fact forces us not to stop at the border. Why? Because we have to protect the citizens of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics," he said.
The American-made M270 multiple launch rocket system
Image Source: Photo: commons.wikimedia.org
According to military expert Dmitry Boltenkov, Kiev politicians and generals have finally lost touch with reality.
"It is completely unclear where the Ukrainian armed formations will find forces and equipment for large—scale operations," he told Izvestia. — Last week, the Ukrainian president signed a law authorizing the sending of the defense forces to the front — these are untrained and poorly armed formations. They cannot withstand a regular army with artillery and air support. They are sent to the front to plug holes. Such military decisions, as a rule, indicate the absence of an alternative and the terrible state of affairs at the front.
The expected HIMARS MLRS will not make a breakthrough — dozens or even hundreds of such installations with trained crews are needed for at least some tangible effect, and Kiev does not have them, the expert stressed.
— Kiev will not be able to get to the Crimean Bridge either, — he added. — They will be given missiles to HIMARS, which do not finish him off from controlled territory. There is no chance of delivering them closer — neither by sea, nor by land, nor with the help of aviation. The bridge is securely protected.
Films from Odessa
VFU continues to use educational institutions for military purposes, Mikhail Mizintsev, head of the National Defense Management Center of the Russian Federation, said on June 16. In particular, only in Odessa in three schools — № 31, № 55, № 65 — Ukrainian units and foreign mercenaries are deployed. Checkpoints have been deployed on the approaches to schools, firing positions have been equipped, artillery and armored vehicles have been deployed. Schools and vocational school buildings are also used as strong points in Kharkiv and Mykolaiv.
In Lisichansk, firing positions and ammunition depots were equipped on the lower and upper floors of apartment buildings along Krasnaya VFU Street. At the same time, local residents are forbidden to leave their apartments, all attempts by citizens to evacuate to safe areas are severely suppressed.
— In addition, the Kiev regime does not stop attempts of provocations with the aim of accusing the Russian Armed Forces of war crimes and discrediting the world community, — Mikhail Mizintsev said.
He said that on June 11 in Odessa, specialists of the 83rd Center for Information and psychological operations of the VFU conducted a staged shooting of the results of a strike on a medical institution allegedly inflicted by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. About 100 people participated in it as actors, including children dressed in hospital pajamas and civilian clothes with traces of blood.
"Buk" by the River
On June 16, Russian troops continued to strike at military facilities in Ukraine. High-precision air-launched missiles destroyed two control points of the VFU, an electronic warfare station, a launcher of the Tochka-U missile complex and the Hurricane MLRS, the military department reported.
— 57 areas of concentration of manpower and military equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were hit by operational-tactical, army and unmanned aircraft during the day. Three control points were destroyed, the Buk-M1 anti—aircraft missile system in the area of the Sumy region River, as well as a repair and restoration point for armored vehicles in the Kharkiv area," said the official representative of the Russian Defense Ministry, Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov.
Multiple launch rocket system "Hurricane" in service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Image Source: Photo: commons.wikimedia.org
In total, more than 280 nationalists, two ammunition depots, five tanks and other armored fighting vehicles, six field artillery guns and 11 special vehicles were destroyed.
Russian air defense systems shot down a Su-25 attack aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force, seven unmanned aerial vehicles, a Tochka-U missile and 21 Uragan MLRS missiles during the day.
Fragment of the Ukrainian Tochka-U missile shot down by the air defense of the Russian Armed Forces
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti
Rocket troops and artillery hit 195 areas of concentration of troops, 34 control points and 42 firing positions of artillery and mortar units. As a result, more than 200 nationalists, an electronic warfare station, three ammunition depots, six tanks and other armored vehicles, a Grad MLRS combat vehicle, four field artillery guns, 18 special vehicles and two UAV control points were destroyed.
— In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, 204 aircraft, 131 helicopters, 1,218 unmanned aerial vehicles, 340 anti—aircraft missile systems, 3,569 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 526 multiple rocket launcher combat vehicles, 1968 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 3,647 units of special military vehicles have been destroyed, - he listed Igor Konashenkov.
Project P-268
On June 16, the Russian Defense Ministry published new facts about the activities of biological laboratories in Ukraine, which were supervised by the US Department of Defense. According to Igor Kirillov, the head of the radiation, chemical and biological protection troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, dangerous viruses that can be transmitted through mosquitoes were studied in these institutions. In particular, such studies were conducted within the framework of the P-268 project.
— The stated goal of the project is to study viruses capable of infecting Aedes mosquitoes. In accordance with the terms of reference, the viral drug was developed by the institute in Kiev and delivered to the United States for conducting field aerobic studies," Igor Kirillov said.
Photo: Global Look Press/Markiian Lyseiko
Image source: iz.ru
According to him, the interest of American customers in mosquitoes of this type — carriers of dengue fever, Zika, yellow fever — is not accidental.
— During the last major outbreak of yellow fever in Africa (in 2013), 170 thousand people were recorded. cases of a severe form of the disease, of which 60 thousand were fatal," the general recalled.
Since 2015 — the beginning of the Pentagon's large—scale financing of Ukrainian projects - numerous cases of infectious diseases have been recorded in the Luhansk and Donetsk People's Republics. For example, in 2016, the incidence of tularemia increased nine and a half times compared to 2007, he noted.
Carried two from the battlefield
On June 16, the Russian Defense Ministry told about the servicemen who showed courage and dedication in battle.
During a special military operation, Ensign Alexei Matkov repeatedly provided uninterrupted communication of his battalion tactical group (BTG) under heavy enemy fire. During one of the enemy's artillery raids, part of the equipment and communication lines were damaged. Despite the heavy fire, Ensign Matkov promptly deployed and set up a satellite communication station, and then, together with the crew, provided camouflage and protection of its positions.
— Thanks to the decisive actions and professional skills of Alexey Matkov, communication was restored in the BTG in the shortest possible time, which made it possible to ensure stable management of units and defeat the enemy, — the military department noted
The airborne assault company of Sergeant Sergei Romanov engaged in battle with a superior group of the enemy. Sergeant Romanov saw that two of his colleagues were injured. He carried them out of the battlefield and provided first aid. At the same time, four nationalists tried to sneak up to the wounded paratroopers to take them prisoner.
Awarding of military personnel with medals "For military distinctions" for heroism during the special operation in Ukraine
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti
— Sergey noticed the enemy in time and destroyed the saboteurs with targeted fire, — the military department noted.
An assault group of Marines led by Guard Senior Lieutenant Ivan Korshikov was searching for enemy sabotage groups. In one of the raids, moving through the night forest, Ivan personally found and destroyed a mortar crew. His group also managed to find a disguised truck with weapons and ammunition of foreign manufacture.
One day the Marines came across an enemy unit that outnumbered them. Despite this, they attacked the enemy.
— Ivan was wounded, but continued to lead his subordinates. According to the results of the battle, more than 15 nationalists were destroyed by the forces of Ivan Korshikov's assault group, the Russian military department clarified.
Thanks to the brave and selfless actions of Senior Lieutenant Ivan Korshikov, the activities of saboteurs in the area of responsibility of the Russian Marines were stopped, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation added.
Bogdan Stepovoy
Andrey Fedorov
