Vladimir Putin commented on the Ukrainian counteroffensive and the terrorist methods of official KievThe main goal of the special military operation is the liberation of Donbass, President Vladimir Putin said on September 16 at a press conference following his visit to the SCO summit in Samarkand.
He stressed that the plan of its implementation is not subject to adjustment. On this day, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continued to strike at the infrastructure of Ukrainian formations — during the day, the enemy lost more than 400 servicemen killed and wounded. In Lugansk, as a result of a terrorist attack, the Prosecutor General of the LPR and his deputy were killed. Experts note that the tactics of the Ukrainian authorities are increasingly becoming terrorist.
Plans don't change
Vladimir Putin, at a meeting with journalists following his visit to the SCO summit in Samarkand, said that the main purpose of the special operation is the liberation of Donbass and its plan is not subject to adjustment.
— The General Staff makes operational decisions during the operation, something is considered the key, the main goal. And the main goal is the liberation of the entire territory of Donbass. This work continues, despite these attempts of the counteroffensive of the Ukrainian army," the president noted.
The Head of State stressed that now only part of the armed forces is taking part in the special operation.
— I pay attention, we are not fighting a full army, we are fighting only part of the Russian army, only the contract part. But, of course, this is due to certain parameters of personnel and so on. That's why we are not in a hurry in this part," he said.
Vladimir Putin speaks to reporters following the summit of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Samarkand
Image source: Photo: IZVESTIA/Pavel Volkov
Vladimir Putin commented on the situation in the area of the special operation.
— The Kiev authorities have announced that they have launched and are conducting an active counter-offensive operation. Let's see how it will be implemented and how it will end," the Russian president said.
He noted that the Ukrainian authorities tried to carry out terrorist attacks, including on the territory of Russia.
— As for the terrorist attacks. Yes, this is such a serious thing. This is, in fact, the use of terrorist methods. We see this in the killings of officials in the liberated territories, we even see an attempt to carry out terrorist attacks on the territory of the Russian Federation, including — I do not know if there was any public information on this matter - even attempts to carry out terrorist attacks, if not on the facilities themselves, then around our nuclear facilities, nuclear power plants on territories of the Russian Federation. I'm not talking about the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant," Vladimir Putin said.
The President promised that more serious measures will be taken if the Kiev authorities do not understand that such methods are unacceptable.
— Quite recently, the Russian Armed Forces inflicted a couple of sensitive blows there. But we will assume that these are warning strikes. If the situation continues to develop in this way, then the answer will be more serious," he explained.
Terror tactics
The President answered journalists' questions, knowing about a series of Ukrainian attacks in the DPR and LPR. On Friday, September 16, an explosion occurred in the building of the Prosecutor General's Office of the LPR, located in the center of Lugansk. As a result, Prosecutor General Sergei Gorenko and his deputy Ekaterina Steglenko were killed. The head of the Luhansk People's Republic Leonid Pasechnik accused the Ukrainian authorities of organizing a terrorist attack.
Servicemen near the building of the Prosecutor General's Office of the LPR in the center of Lugansk, where an explosion occurred
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Maxim Zakharov
— The explosion that occurred in the building of the Prosecutor General's Office of the Luhansk People's Republic demonstrated that the Kiev regime has crossed all possible limits of what is permitted. Today's incident once again confirms that Ukraine, under its current leadership, is a terrorist state," he said.
On this day, the armed formations of Ukraine attacked the administration of the Kherson region with American-made HIMARS MLRS missiles. According to preliminary data, three people were killed and 13 injured.
Oleg Boyko, deputy head of the city administration for Housing and Communal Services, and his wife Lyudmila, who headed the city territorial election commission for the referendum, were killed in Berdyansk.
The head of the Donetsk People's Republic Denis Pushilin called the explosions in Lugansk, Kherson and Berdyansk war crimes.
— All these facts of war crimes are further evidence that Kiev is interested in as much terror and bloodshed as possible, in as many monstrous tragedies as possible, in the murder of civilians. In addition, in Ukraine they want us to be confused, scared, and retreat. But this will never happen," he said.
The tactics of the enemy have been changing lately, becoming not tough, but cruel, and it cannot be called anything other than terrorist, military expert Alexey Leonkov notes.
— We see hybrid actions, — he believes. — Terrorist attacks by the Ukrainian side are accompanied by massive information campaigns. The explosions are preceded by information attacks, it is claimed that all those cooperating with the pro-Russian authorities will be punished and the Ukrainian authorities have every opportunity for this. All this is supported by the actions of terrorists and rocket attacks on civilian administrative centers. The events in Luhansk and Berdyansk are terrorist attacks. Thus, the Ukrainian authorities want to raise panic, but they will not succeed.
Shards of glass near the explosion site in the building of the Prosecutor General's Office of the LPR
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Maxim Zakharov
According to the expert, the Armed Forces of Russia and the troops of the People's republics are fighting according to generally accepted rules — they strike at military infrastructure.
— We fundamentally need to change our attitude towards the enemy, — the expert is sure. — Priority should be given not to political considerations, but to military expediency. The military knows how to inflict maximum damage, and the faster we rebuild, the better the result will be.
The headquarters of all NATO countries work for the Ukrainian armed forces, Alexey Leonkov reminded.
— Including the units that are responsible for hybrid actions, — he believes. — This is a serious enemy, and he should not be given a head start.
With an eye on the "South"
On September 16, the Russian Aerospace Forces, missile troops and artillery continued to deliver massive precision strikes on the units and reserves of the VFU in all strategic directions.
— In the area of the city of Nikolaev, the locations of the 28th Motorized Infantry Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were hit, - said the official representative of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov.
In just a day, the headquarters and training base of the separate special operations center "South", the temporary locations of the 66th mechanized brigade, the nationalist formation "Kraken" and the positions of the 80th airborne assault Brigade of the VFU were destroyed.
Destroyed APU tank
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Viktor Antonyuk
The enemy's losses amounted to more than 400 nationalists killed and wounded, more than 20 units of armored and automotive equipment, more than 3,000 ammunition for rocket and barrel artillery of various calibers.
Operational-tactical, army aviation, missile troops and artillery hit nine control points, 65 artillery units, the Osa-AKM anti-aircraft missile system, eight warehouses of rocket and artillery weapons and ammunition and 234 areas of concentration of troops.
During the day, Russia's air defense shot down five unmanned aerial vehicles and 53 projectiles of HIMARS and Alder multiple rocket launchers.
— In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, 293 aircraft, 155 helicopters, 1965 unmanned aerial vehicles, 375 anti—aircraft missile systems, 4,940 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 837 multiple rocket launchers, 3,392 field artillery and mortar guns, as well as 5,616 units of special military vehicles have been destroyed, - Igor listed Konashenkov.
Fighting on the march
The Russian Defense Ministry told about the soldiers and officers who showed courage and dedication during the special operation.
The column of Private Sirazhutdin Platov came under fire from Ukrainian saboteurs. Sirazhutdin discovered their firing point and, dismounting, destroyed the camouflaged position with a shot from a grenade launcher. At the same time, he continued to cover his comrades with small fire. Only after receiving an order from the commander, he retreated, secretly caught up with his column and continued to move to a new line of defense.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Press Service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
Image source: iz.ru
Senior Lieutenant Maxim Skovorodetsky provided communications for the battalion tactical group, which was engaged in fierce battles. Due to the shelling of militants, the communication module was damaged. Maxim, risking his life, restored his working capacity.
— The professionalism of Senior Lieutenant Skovorodetsky made it possible to organize a massive air and artillery strike, as well as to ensure the regrouping of our troops, preventing losses among personnel, — the military department said.
The battalion tactical group of Sergeant Alexander Bashkatov was performing special tasks when his column was attacked. Alexander, together with his comrades, repulsed the enemy. The sergeant's confident and professional actions made it possible to save the weapons and lives of many servicemen, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported.
Sergeant Viktor Alexandrov repaired military equipment. The VFU fired at the positions of its battalion-tactical group, damaging the unit's combat vehicles. Victor promptly replaced the parts in them, disguised the repair car and joined the battle. As a result, a Ukrainian tank, three infantry fighting vehicles, seven cars and more than 50 militants were destroyed.
The enemy was forced to stop the offensive, and the Russian units retreated to more advantageous and pre-prepared defense lines, the military department said.
Bogdan Stepovoy
Andrey Fedorov