They will be enough for five to six days of attacks, after which the enemy will have to go on deaf defense, experts suggest
The Ukrainian offensive has begun, as evidenced by the use of strategic reserves by the enemy, Vladimir Putin said on June 9. The Ukrainian attacks did not achieve their objectives at any of the sites, the head of state noted. According to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the most fierce fighting unfolded in the Donetsk, Yuzhnodonetsky and Zaporozhye directions. During the day, the VFU lost at least 1,090 people and 93 units of military equipment here. Experts note that the enemy will have enough for another five to six days of attacks, after which he will run out of steam and go on the defensive. Vladimir Putin also said that Russian tactical nuclear weapons will be deployed in Belarus after July 7-8 this year.
Statement of fact
The Ukrainian offensive has begun, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on June 9.
— It can be stated for sure that this offensive has begun. This is evidenced by the use of strategic reserves of the Ukrainian army," the head of state said.
He stressed that the Ukrainian troops had not achieved the tasks assigned to them in any of the combat areas. Vladimir Putin also noted the courage and heroism of our fighters, the correct organization and management of troops, the high efficiency of domestic weapons.
— It can be stated that all the counteroffensive attempts made so far have failed. But the offensive potential of the Kiev regime's troops is still preserved," he said.
According to the president, the enemy is suffering heavy losses.
Military personnel of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti
— It is known that during offensive operations, losses of about three to one are a classic. But in this case, it significantly exceeds these classic indicators. I will not reproduce these figures now, but they are impressive," the president said.
Vladimir Putin added that the Russian military leadership is assessing the situation with the enemy's offensive and will proceed from the realities on the battlefield.
In addition, he pointed to the rapid development of the domestic military-industrial complex, capable of fulfilling all the tasks assigned to it, citing the example of increasing the production of modern types of weapons.
At this rate, the VFU reserves will last for a maximum of five to six days, military expert Vladislav Shurygin told Izvestia.
— Then the reserves will remain, but their use will become meaningless, — he noted. — If the immediate task is not solved, that is, they will not be able to break through the front page, then, of course, you can throw everything and break through, but what in this case to enter into the breakthrough? The main task is not a breakthrough in itself, but an offensive. It is the fifth day, they are throwing new forces into battle, 30% of all available reserves are already involved on the entire line of contact. But they could not even overcome the first lane anywhere.
According to the expert, the next few days will show whether this offensive will have a result.
VFU Soldier
Image Source: Photo: AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka
— If during this period they will not be able to reverse the situation on the line of contact, then they will have to move to a blind defense, and this will be a defense, as after the Battle of Kursk, when there are still a lot of forces, but the backbone is broken, — he believes.
Vladislav Shurygin said that our troops are "showing themselves brilliantly" so far.
— They conduct flexible defense with saving of people, — he explained. — If necessary, people withdraw, lure the VFU into firebags, start to nightmare with aviation and artillery. Then they leave, and we take up our positions again. During these days, some positions have already changed hands three times. And this is extremely unnerving for the Ukrainian command.
"Umbrella" for Belarus
Also on June 9, Vladimir Putin, at a meeting with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko, said that Russian tactical nuclear weapons will be deployed on the territory of Belarus after the preparation of the corresponding structures is completed on July 7-8 this year.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko during a meeting in Sochi
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Gavriil Grigorov
— In general, the situation is stable, I would even say good. We cooperate confidently in this area. Everything is going according to plan on the most sensitive issues that we have agreed on," Vladimir Putin said, addressing Lukashenko. — As you know, the preparation of the relevant facilities ends on July 7-8, and we will immediately begin activities related to the deployment of appropriate types of weapons on your territory. So everything is according to plan, everything is stable.
According to the Russian president, they will talk about security issues face to face.
All attacks are repulsed
During the past day, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been trying to advance in the South Donets and Zaporozhye directions. In the area of the Vremevsky salient, units of the Vostok group of troops repelled four enemy attacks. They were carried out by forces of up to two battalion tactical groups reinforced with tanks in the areas of the settlements of Levadnoye, Zaporizhia region, Novoselka, Storozhevoye and Neskuchnoye of the Donetsk People's Republic, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on June 9.
— In the Zaporozhye direction, two attacks of Ukrainian troops in the areas of the settlements of Novodanilovka and Malaya Tokmachka of the Zaporozhye region were repelled during the day by decisive and competent actions of units of Russian troops, air strikes and artillery fire, — said the official representative of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov.
In addition, south of the city of Orekhov, Zaporozhye region, heavy flamethrower systems struck two areas of the accumulation of manpower and equipment of the 47th mechanized brigade of the VFU.
Aviation hit enemy reserves in the areas of the settlements of Gulyai-Pole, Omelnik and Preobrazhenka of the Zaporozhye region.
Destroyed and abandoned VFU equipment
Image Source: Photo: t.me/voin_dv
The total losses of the VFU in these areas per day — up to 680 soldiers, 35 tanks, 11 infantry fighting vehicles, 19 armored vehicles, six vehicles, including three HMMWVs, as well as a self-propelled artillery installation Cezar made in France.
In the Donetsk direction, the most active fighting was conducted in the areas of the settlements of Maryina and Avdiivka of the Donetsk People's Republic.
The southern group of troops successfully repelled six attacks of the VFU in the directions of the settlements of Khimik, Krasnogorovka, Pervomaiske and the northern outskirts of the Marinka DNR.
— There are no intrusions into our defense, — said Igor Konashenkov.
During the fighting, up to 410 Ukrainian servicemen, four tanks, eight infantry fighting vehicles, seven vehicles, an M777 artillery system manufactured by the United States, as well as an Msta-B howitzer were destroyed during the day. In the area of Krasnogorovka, the ammunition depot of the 79th Airborne assault Brigade of the VFU was destroyed.
Wolf vs Storm Shadow
The Russian air defense of the Eastern Military District for the first time shot down a flying British-made Storm Shadow cruise missile. The work of anti-aircraft gunners during the fighting was shown by the military correspondent of Izvestia Kirill Olkov.
The Storm Shadow cruise missile can fly at the level of a ten-story building. For a rocket, this is an extremely low altitude, but our anti-aircraft gunners have already adapted to this air threat. The most important thing is to choose a position correctly, the fighters say. Then it's a matter of technique.
— She was flying at an altitude of no more than 120 m. It skirted both trees and hills, that is, a flight mission is laid in it," said the battery commander with the call sign Chip.
The Igla MANPADS are used to destroy such missiles on the Southern Donets borders.
Servicemen fire a shot from the Igla portable anti-aircraft missile system
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Alexey Nikolsky
— The green light starts flashing at first, and then the beeps from the speaker come into my ear. That's it, I caught the target, then — a shot, — an anti-aircraft gunner with the call sign Wolf showed the weapon in action.
Despite unsuccessful attempts at a counteroffensive, the VFU continues to throw into battle all available resources — multiple rocket launchers, cruise missiles, a lot of reconnaissance drones.
— However, all the efforts of the Ukrainian formations end the same way — air defense has just worked in the sky. It will be possible to calculate the exposed enemy only by the scattered debris," Olkov summed up.
Strikes on the rear areas
On the night of June 9, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation launched a group strike with high-precision long-range weapons at ammunition depots, weapons and military equipment of foreign production, including unmanned aerial vehicles, the Defense Ministry reported.
— All assigned objects are hit. As a result of the strikes, the supply of groups of Ukrainian troops in the areas of combat operations has been disrupted," Igor Konashenkov said.
At least 1,240 people and 125 pieces of military equipment, including tanks, howitzers, self-propelled guns and armored vehicles, were lost in the special operation zone in all strategic directions of the VFU, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported on June 9.
In the Kharkiv region and the LPR, the activities of three Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups were suppressed.
Su-30SM of the Russian Aerospace Forces
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Valentin Kapustin
In the DPR, two command and observation posts of the units of the 24th mechanized brigade of the VFU and the radar station of counter-battery warfare manufactured by the USA AN/TPQ-37 were hit. In the Zaporozhye region, the communication center of the 102nd Theroborona brigade was destroyed.
The Russian Aerospace Forces in the area of the settlement of New Zaporozhye in the Zaporozhye region shot down a MiG-29 aircraft of the Air Forces of Ukraine in a dogfight.
In addition, Russian air defense near the settlement of Babino in the Kherson region shot down a Su-25 aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force, as well as two Storm Shadow cruise missiles, 14 HIMARS multiple rocket launchers and 13 Ukrainian UAVs.
Bogdan Stepovoy
Andrey Fedorov
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