The supply chain of foreign weapons to Ukraine is gradually breaking down, Sergei Shoigu saidThe priority task in 2023 will be to continue the special military operation until the tasks are fully completed, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on December 21 at the final board of the department.
The partial mobilization carried out will allow further offensive actions, he is sure. More than 250 thousand Russian soldiers and officers have already visited the SVO zone. The head of the ministry also announced the supply of $97 billion worth of weapons to Ukraine from NATO countries. Experts note that studying the experience of fighting foreign samples allows the Russian army to better prepare for countering Western weapons.
Studied imports
As Sergei Shoigu stated during his speech at an expanded meeting of the Board of the Ministry of Defense, the main priority of 2023 for the armed forces will be its in Ukraine.
— We will continue conducting a special military operation until the tasks are fully completed, — the head of the defense department stressed.
Of the more than 250 thousand regular military personnel who have visited the SVO, more than 100 thousand people have been awarded state awards. At the same time, 120 of them were awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation, Sergei Shoigu announced.
"Partial mobilization was carried out to stabilize the situation, protect new territories and carry out further offensive actions," the Defense Minister explained at a board meeting. — In general, it has already made it possible to increase the capabilities of the troops and intensify hostilities.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Taisiya Liskovets
Image source: iz.ru
Of the 300 thousand people called up within its framework, 150 thousand. they are still being trained at military training grounds, remaining a reserve for the operation.
According to Sergei Shoigu, since the beginning of the SVO, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have suffered significant losses. A significant part of the weapons and equipment they had was destroyed. To make up for these losses, the United States and NATO countries have significantly increased military assistance to the Kiev regime. 27 countries have already spent $97 billion on arms supplies to Ukraine.
"The United States and its allies are pumping the Kiev regime with weapons, training military personnel, providing intelligence information, sending advisers and mercenaries, waging an information and sanctions war against us," the head of the defense department listed.
More than 500 spacecraft of the USA and NATO countries work in the interests of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, of which over 70 are military, the rest are dual—use. There are NATO staff officers, gunners and other specialists in the combat zone.
Russian troops continue to destroy Ukrainian military targets, inflict massive precision strikes on the military command system, enterprises of the military-industrial complex and related facilities, including energy. The supply chain of foreign weapons is being destroyed, the military potential of Ukraine is being reduced. At the same time, exhaustive measures are being taken to exclude civilian deaths, the Defense Minister stressed.
High-precision strike on the energy facility of Ukraine
Image source: Photo: REUTERS/Press service of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine/Handout
— SVO provides a unique opportunity to analyze modern methods of conducting interspecific operations, the forces and means used in this case to be taken into account in the plans for improving the armed forces, — said Sergei Shoigu.
The supply of modern weapons to Ukraine from NATO countries creates a unique opportunity for Russia to get acquainted with the real, not advertising, effectiveness of Western weapons and better learn how to counteract them, military expert Vladislav Shurygin explained to Izvestia.
— Initially, the United States and the allies hoped that they would be able to manage with stocks of Soviet weapons and ammunition, with point infusions of modern Western samples, — the expert said. — It was scraped off from all over Europe for Kiev. But because of the huge losses, this plan failed and Western weapons had to be transferred en masse. In the hands of the APU, for many reasons, it works worse than in NATO. It is not only the lack of training of personnel that hinders, but also the general discrepancy between the military potential and the capabilities of the whole block. This gives us the opportunity to study in practice not only its strengths, but also its weaknesses.
Based on the results of using many imported systems, practical conclusions have already been made and methods of countering them have been found. It is enough to recall the Turkish "Bayraktars" that disappeared from the infield, which were so proud of initially in Kiev. Such samples as M777 howitzers or Javelin anti-tank missile systems also failed to meet expectations.
Ashes of technology
On December 21, the Defense Ministry told the details of the battles with Ukrainian formations in the zone of the special operation.
— Up to 60 Ukrainian servicemen, two armored personnel carriers and three pickups were destroyed in the Kupyansk direction as a result of a complex fire defeat of the enemy in the areas of the settlements of Petropavlovsk, Peschanoe and Berestove in the Kharkiv region, — said the official representative of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov.
Photo: TASS/Alexander River
Image source: iz.ru
The oil storage facility, from which the fuel supply of military equipment of the VFU was carried out, was also affected.
More than 30 Ukrainian servicemen, one tank and five pickups were destroyed in the Krasnolimansk direction. Six servicemen laid down their weapons and surrendered, the Defense Ministry said.
In Donetsk, during the offensive, Russian troops occupied new commanding heights and frontiers. During the day, more than 80 Ukrainian servicemen, one tank, three infantry fighting vehicles and four cars were destroyed.
In the South Donets direction, the manpower and military equipment of the units of the 72nd mechanized brigade of the VFU and the 108th Theroborona brigade were hit. The losses of Ukrainian formations amounted to up to 50 servicemen killed and wounded, two armored combat vehicles and four pickups, the Defense Ministry said.
Operational-tactical, army aviation, missile troops and artillery of Russia hit 63 artillery units of the VFU in firing positions, three US-made M-777 artillery systems, a radar station of the S-300 anti-aircraft missile system, a self-propelled firing unit of the Ukrainian Buk-M1 anti-aircraft missile system, a P-18 target designation radar, two hangars with weapons and military equipment of foreign production, two warehouses of artillery ammunition of the VFU, a combat vehicle of the Grad multiple launch rocket system and 87 areas of concentration of troops.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Viktor Antonyuk
Image source: iz.ru
Fighter aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces shot down a Ukrainian Su-25 attack aircraft near the settlement of Krasnogorovka in the DPR, as well as a Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopter near Artemovsk in the DPR.
The Russian Air Defense forces shot down two drones and two HIMARS multiple rocket launchers in the area of the village of Novokrasnyanka in the LPR during the day.
In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, 348 aircraft, 187 helicopters, 2691 unmanned aerial vehicles, 399 anti-aircraft missile systems, 7179 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 932 multiple rocket launchers, 3696 field artillery and mortars, as well as 7693 units of special military equipment have been destroyed.
Suvorov Medal
The Russian Defense Ministry told about the servicemen who showed courage and dedication in the battles.
The battalion of Captain Yuri Kashevarov defended one of the settlements. The enemy opened fire on our soldiers. During the battle, Yuri destroyed two armored personnel carriers, two cars and a large number of nationalists. The captain also pulled wounded comrades out from under enemy fire, loaded them into a car and took them to a safe area.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Taisiya Liskovets
Image source: iz.ru
— Thanks to the bold and decisive actions of Captain Kashevarov and his subordinates, it was possible to prevent a breakthrough of the defense line, — the military department said.
The group of Ensign Alexander Muratsev performed special tasks in the area of one of the settlements. In the forest belt, Alexander noticed a well-armed group of Ukrainian saboteurs. It was decided to impose a fight on the enemy. During the collision, acting boldly and decisively, Alexander Muratsev evacuated wounded comrades from under enemy fire, after which he provided first aid. The professional actions of Alexander Muratsev made it possible to save the lives of comrades, the Defense Ministry stressed.
The group under the command of Junior Sergeant Pyotr Ilyushin performed special tasks near one of the settlements. Moving along the route, Peter discovered a carefully camouflaged enemy object. He decided to attack the nationalists' positions. Ilyushin's group opened heavy fire on the enemy, who retreated after the battle. During the inspection of the facility, valuable information was found, transmitted to the higher command.
Junior Sergeant Pyotr Ilyushin was awarded the Suvorov Medal for courage and heroism, the Ministry of Defense noted.
Anton Lavrov
Andrey Fedorov
