The leaders of the two countries agreed to work on the creation of new military equipment and continue joint exercisesVladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko discussed the formation of a single defense space, ensuring the security of the Union State and cooperation within the framework of the CSTO in Minsk on December 19.
On the same day, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced that Swedish Archer ("Archer") howitzers were used during the shelling of Donetsk by the VFU. Experts note that NATO countries and their allies have long used Ukraine as a testing ground for promising weapons systems. In the SVO zone, the Russian army improved its positions in the Donetsk direction and repulsed enemy attacks in other areas.
United Defense
Vladimir Putin, following a meeting with President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, noted that he had discussed with his colleague the creation of a single defense space of the Union State, as well as cooperation within the framework of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the chairmanship of which will be transferred to Belarus from January 1. Among other things, the parties agreed to work on the creation of new military equipment, as well as to continue the practice of joint exercises.
"We have agreed to continue to jointly take all necessary measures to ensure the reliable security of our two countries, to give priority to the training of troops, to increase their combat readiness, combat capability, to continue the practice of regular joint exercises," Vladimir Putin said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko during a meeting in Minsk
Image source: Photo: Official website of the President of the Russian Federation
He recalled that as part of the consistent implementation of the common military doctrine of Russia and Belarus, joint military planning is underway. There is a Russian-Belarusian regional grouping of troops, a unified air defense system. Currently, events of combat coordination of formations and military units of the Russian army are being held on the territory of Belarus.
In addition, the President of Russia allowed the possibility of training crews of Belarusian military aircraft converted for the use of ammunition with a special nuclear warhead.
Vladimir Putin also said that Russia and Belarus will jointly take measures to ensure the reliable security of the Union State.
Non-peaceful "Archer"
On December 19, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that on Sunday, December 18, Ukrainian security forces widely used artillery systems and MLRS during the shelling of Donetsk, "including the Swedish Archer howitzers ("Archer") undergoing "run-in".
"The United States and NATO allies have turned Ukraine into a testing ground for their weapons, with Kiev deliberately hitting the civilian population," Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement.
A day earlier, sporadic shelling was carried out in Donetsk. MLRS rockets and artillery shells exploded in residential areas. One of the city's hospitals also came under fire. Patients were injured, one of whom later died.
Photo: commons.wikimedia.org
Image source: iz.ru
The fighting in Ukraine for the military-industrial complex of NATO countries is a good opportunity to test both existing weapons systems and promising ones, military expert Vasily Dandykin told Izvestia.
—The Swedish Archer is a 155—millimeter NATO-caliber howitzer," he noted. — Such guns are classified as heavy, and, of course, their shells produce great destruction. Sweden is a country with a developed and balanced military—industrial complex, which is capable of producing aircraft, ships, artillery and other weapons systems. For them, Ukraine is a good opportunity to test their weapons in combat conditions. Sweden is not alone here. Czechs, French, Poles and others supply their artillery systems of this caliber to Ukraine. Based on the results of combat use, conclusions will be drawn, and the systems themselves will be finalized. Engineers should monitor their operation and breakdowns. The Swedish system, I think, is of particular interest. It was made in a northern country, and it should be well adapted to the cold, not as fragile and elegant as, for example, the French Caesar.
The expert recalled that Sweden is not yet a member of NATO, but it should soon be accepted there.
— The country was one of the first to supply weapons to Ukraine, so it has been following NATO's lead for a long time, — he recalled.
The expert also noted that the Swedish military—industrial complex has commercial interests - equipment that has proven itself well during the fighting can count on large orders in the future.
Profitable frontiers
The armed forces of the Russian Federation conducted an offensive and occupied advantageous positions in the Donetsk direction, after which they repelled enemy counterattacks, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on December 19.
— The enemy's attempts to conduct reconnaissance of the positions of Russian troops in the direction of the settlements of Disputable, Novgorodskoye, Vodiane, Leninskoye and Nevelskoye of the Donetsk People's Republic were thwarted by artillery fire, — said the official representative of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov.
Photo: Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
Image source: iz.ru
According to him, more than 130 Ukrainian servicemen, two tanks, three armored fighting vehicles and three cars were destroyed in the Donetsk direction during the day.
— In the Kupyansk direction, as a result of a fire raid by Russian artillery on the accumulation of manpower and military equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of the settlements of Ivanovka, Kharkiv region and Novoselovskoye of the Luhansk People's Republic, more than 20 Ukrainian servicemen, an infantry fighting vehicle and two cars were destroyed, — Igor Konashenkov said.
In the Krasnolimansky direction, units of the VFU were defeated in the areas of Stelmakhovka, Chervonaya Dibrova in the LPR and in the area of the Serebryansky forestry, four Ukrainian sabotage groups were also destroyed. The total losses of the enemy amounted to up to 70 soldiers, two armored combat vehicles and two pickups.
In the South Donetsk direction, the company tactical groups of the 72nd Mechanized Brigade and the 108th Air Defense Brigade of the VFU, who made unsuccessful attempts to attack the positions of Russian troops, were defeated. In addition, two VFU sabotage groups were destroyed.
The total losses of Ukrainian formations in this direction amounted to up to 80 servicemen killed and wounded, two armored combat vehicles, three pickups.
Operational-tactical, army aviation, missile troops and artillery hit the temporary deployment points of the units of the 61st Infantry-Jaeger brigade, the 124th brigade of the defense, the group of the special operations center "South", 56 artillery units of the VFU in firing positions and 139 areas of concentration of troops.
Photo: Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
Image source: iz.ru
During the day, air defense systems shot down eight drones, six HIMARS and Hurricane multiple rocket launchers in the areas of the settlements of Sladkoe, Debaltseve in the DPR, Kremennaya in the LPR and Lyubimovka in the Zaporozhye region, as well as four American HARM anti-radar missiles in the airspace of the Belgorod region.
In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, 344 aircraft, 184 helicopters, 2684 unmanned aerial vehicles, 398 anti-aircraft missile systems, 7159 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 931 multiple rocket launchers, 3691 field artillery and mortars, as well as 7664 units of special military vehicles have been destroyed, Igor Konashenkov listed.
Find saboteurs
The Russian Defense Ministry told about the servicemen who showed courage and dedication in the battles.
Moving through the city, Guard Corporal Artem Larionov found a group of militants in an abandoned building. Having correctly distributed the forces of his subordinates, he attacked the nationalists. During the battle, Larionov destroyed a machine-gun crew, after which the enemy retreated, and the settlement was liberated.
A few days later, the militants attacked the defense section of Larionov's unit. During the battle, Artyom disabled two pickups with heavy machine guns and eliminated up to ten militants. Thanks to the bold and decisive actions of Artem Larionov, it was possible to prevent the enemy from breaking through, the military department said.
Photo: Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
Image source: iz.ru
Advancing in the lead car of the column of Russian troops, Lieutenant Alexander Shekhanov discovered a group of Ukrainian saboteurs and immediately attacked them. The enemy concentrated fire on Alexander's car. This allowed our servicemen to reorganize into battle formation and engage in battle. During the collision, significant damage was inflicted on enemy manpower.
Nevertheless, the enemy waited for reinforcements and cut off part of the column from the main forces. Restraining the offensive of the militants, Alexander led more than 20 people out of the enemy's pincers, after which, joining with the reserve, our soldiers and officers launched a counteroffensive and defeated the enemy.
Senior Sergeant Evgeny Zverev performs the combat task of uninterrupted supply of Russian units. During the next departure, his column was fired at by militants. Evgeny, skillfully maneuvering, brought the car out from under enemy shells. The bold and decisive actions of Senior Sergeant Zverev made it possible to save the cargo and ensure uninterrupted delivery of ammunition to advanced units, the military department said.
Bogdan Stepovoy
Andrey Fedorov
