The power units and one of the special corps of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant came under fire from the VFUArmed formations of Ukraine on November 19 and 20 actively shelled the territory of the Zaporozhye NPP.
Ammunition exploded near the power units of the station, and one of them hit the roof of the special corps No. 2, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported on November 20. Experts believe that in this way the Kiev authorities are again trying to initiate an international scandal around the NPP. Also, the Russian military department reported on attempts by Ukrainian formations to conduct offensives in several strategic directions over the weekend. All attacks were repulsed, and the VFU suffered serious losses.
Impact on power units
On November 20, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that the Kiev regime does not stop provocations in order to create a threat of a man-made disaster at the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant.
During November 19, the VFU artillery fired 11 large-caliber artillery shells on the territory of the nuclear power plant. On the morning of November 20, Ukrainian forces shelled the territory of the nuclear power plant twice.
— From 9:15 to 9:45, 12 large-caliber artillery shells were fired. Eight of them exploded between the fifth power unit and the special corps No. 2, three hit between the fourth and fifth power units, one hit the roof of the special corps No. 2, — said the official representative of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov.
Consequences of the shelling of the Zaporozhye NPP
Image source: Photo: IZVESTIA
The shelling of the NPP has a political background, military expert Vladislav Shurygin believes.
— The strikes on the station are connected with the IAEA document, in which the organization demanded the complete withdrawal of Russian troops from the territory of the NPP, — he told Izvestia. — This paper has untied the hands of the Ukrainian authorities, and they are preparing the ground for a new political scandal. They started shelling, only to say later: "The Russians do not want to comply with the decision of the international organization of the IAEA, endangering the whole world." Of course, there is no military expediency in such attacks.
Repelled all attacks
On November 19 and 20, the Russian armed forces continued fighting with Ukrainian armed formations.
— A high-precision strike of the Russian Aerospace Forces in the city of Zaporozhye at the Motor—Sich defense enterprise destroyed a workshop for assembling engines for aircraft of the Air Forces of Ukraine, - said Lieutenant General Konashenkov.
The attacks of the Ukrainian forces were repelled. In the DPR, during the offensive, Russian troops destroyed more than 120 servicemen, two tanks, three armored combat vehicles and seven cars.
Photo: RIA Novosti/press service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
Image source: iz.ru
On Saturday, the attacks of the company tactical groups of the VFU, reinforced by mercenaries, were thwarted in the Kupyansk direction. The next day, Ukrainian formations did not take active actions in this tactical direction. Enemy clusters were hit by artillery fire and heavy flamethrower systems. In just two days, more than 80 Ukrainian servicemen and mercenaries, three tanks, three armored personnel carriers, one infantry fighting vehicle and two pickups were destroyed.
On November 20, the enemy's attempts to attack the Krasnolimansk direction were thwarted by the forces of four company tactical groups.
A day earlier, Russian units stopped an attempt by the VFU to attack with two company tactical groups. The enemy units were stopped and pushed back to their original positions.
In two days, about 80 Ukrainian servicemen and mercenaries, three infantry fighting vehicles, five armored vehicles and five pickups were destroyed in the Krasnolimansk direction.
In the South Donets direction, the attempts of the VFU to counterattack the positions of Russian troops in the direction of the settlements of Slavnoye, Pavlovka, Rovnopol and Vremevka were thwarted. During the day of November 19, enemy losses in this direction amounted to up to 50 servicemen killed and wounded. Two MT-LB, two armored vehicles and three pickups were destroyed.
Photo: TASS/press service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
Image source: iz.ru
In two days, the operational-tactical, army aviation, missile troops and artillery of Russia hit ten control points of the VFU, 148 artillery units in firing positions, two installations of the American HIMARS multiple rocket launcher system, a US-made AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery radar and 329 troop concentration areas.
Counter - battery fighting
During the counter-battery struggle, the artillery division of the 40th Artillery Brigade of the VFU was defeated in the area of Volchansk and the village of Gatyshche, Kharkiv region. Four US-made M777 artillery systems and more than ten Ukrainian servicemen were destroyed. This division conducted shelling of the Belgorod region.
The Russian Air Defense forces destroyed 16 drones and two multiple rocket launchers "Alder" in the area of Guselskoye settlement in the DPR in two days.
Photo: RIA Novosti
Image source: iz.ru
In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, 333 aircraft, 177 helicopters, 2,538 unmanned aerial vehicles, 388 anti-aircraft missile systems, 6,729 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 899 multiple rocket launchers, 3604 field artillery and mortar guns, as well as 7,293 units of special military vehicles have been destroyed, Igor Konashenkov listed.
Overshadowed a soldier
On November 20, the Russian Defense Ministry told about the servicemen who showed courage and dedication in the battles.
Ensign Vadim Sologubov, as part of the battalion tactical group of Russian paratroopers, participated in the liberation of the settlement. When his column was shelled, Vadim ordered his subordinates to dismount and act under the cover of combat vehicles. He and four of his colleagues found an enemy group firing at our servicemen and destroyed them. During the collision, Vadim saw that his soldier was on the enemy's shooting area. He pushed him out of the line of fire and shielded him, having received a leg wound. The task assigned to Vadim and his subordinates was completed, the military department stressed.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Alexey Maishev
Image source: iz.ru
The nationalists launched a fire attack on the facility when Major of the medical service Vladimir Besedin was providing medical care to the wounded. He received a head wound and lost consciousness, but after recovering, he continued his work. Some time later, an enemy shell hit the building equipped for medical care and it caught fire. Vladimir and his subordinates carried the seriously wounded to shelter on stretchers under enemy fire and continued to work until the arrival of the evacuation helicopter. Vladimir Besedin was awarded the Order of Courage for his courage and heroism, the Ministry of Defense noted.
A group of paratroopers of the Guard of Private Daniil Ivanov liberated the settlement. Daniil found three militants in one of the buildings who surrendered and gave out information about Ukrainian fortifications. The nationalists, having suffered losses, left the settlement, moving to the fortified area. The paratroopers waited for reinforcements, surrounded and destroyed the militants. Daniil Ivanov's courage and bravery made it possible to liberate the settlement, the Russian Defense Ministry stressed.
Bogdan Stepovoy
Andrey Fedorov
