The enemy is stuck in the minefields installed by our sappers, experts say
Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked the volunteers participating in the military special operation "for their readiness to defend our common great Homeland." He stressed the cohesion of the Russian society during the SVO, calling it our great advantage. Our army continues to repel massive enemy attacks in the South Donets, Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions. On June 17 and 18, the VFU lost at least 1,655 people and 273 units of military equipment, including tanks, howitzers, self-propelled guns and armored vehicles. Experts noted the important role of remote mining machines in these battles. If necessary, they quickly cover the necessary sections of the front.
"I am absolutely sure of them! Brothers"
Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked the volunteers participating in the military special operation during the closed part of the meeting with military officers, it became known on June 18.
— What can you wish them? Not only wish. We need to thank them for this motivation and for their willingness to defend our common great Homeland," the Supreme Commander-in-Chief stressed.
The President noted that his words about the heavy losses of the armed formations of Ukraine (VFU) during the counteroffensive are confirmed in Kiev.
Combat work of artillery crews of the 122-mm D-30 howitzer of the Yug group in the Seversky direction in the zone of the special operation
Image Source: Photo: TASS/Stanislav Krasilnikov
— By the way, what I told you about the enemy's losses, they confirm this among themselves in conversations. There are a lot of channels," Vladimir Putin said.
The Head of State separately noted the heroism of the Russian fighters in the Maryinsky direction.
— The guys are working heroically at Marinka. It's true, absolutely! — said the President of Russia.
Vladimir Putin added that he communicates with military personnel and called up with commanders in this area.
A sniper of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation while working on the positions of the Armed Forces in the zone of a special military operation
Image Source: Photo: TASS/Ivan Novyabrev
— I called the commander who coordinates the work of both Chechen units and units of the Ministry of Defense, although these are also Ministry of Defense units. Probably, there is nothing like that here, but I ask him the question: "How do you have a relationship with the guys?" And he didn 't hesitate: "I am absolutely sure of them! Brothers." At the same second," he shared.
According to the President, this example shows the cohesion of Russian society during the special operation.
— This is our great advantage — ours, Russia's. And we are with you, with the media, because this is a very huge work of the media — that we have recently built the unity of Russian society together with you. And in the course of military actions, military operations, it showed the unity Russia needed," the head of state concluded.
Fighting at the Vremevsky ledge
During the day, the VFU continued to advance in the South Donets, Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, the Russian military department reported on June 18.
The most active battles were fought on Zaporizhia on Sunday. The enemy forces of up to three battalion tactical groups reinforced with tanks and armored vehicles, under the cover of smoke screens, attempted attacks in the areas of the settlements of Novopokrovka, Novodanilovka and Malaya Tokmachka of the Zaporozhye region.
— Competent and decisive actions of the units of the Vostok group of forces, air strikes and artillery fire repelled all enemy attacks, — said the official representative of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov.
Servicemen of the Central Military District during the work of the calculations of the reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle "Supercam" in the Krasnolimansk direction
Image Source: Photo: TASS/Stanislav Krasilnikov
After hitting four columns of the VFU reserves in the Malaya Tokmachka area, nine tanks, ten infantry fighting vehicles and up to ten other armored vehicles were destroyed.
In the area of the Vremevsky salient, four Ukrainian attacks were repelled during the day by forces of up to a battalion tactical group in the areas of the settlements of Novodonetsky, Rovnopol and Novodarovka.
In the Donetsk direction, the Southern group of troops successfully repelled eight enemy attacks in the areas of the settlements of Kirovo, Pervomayskoye, Krasnogorovka, Nevelskoye and Maryinka.
In the areas of Avdiivka and the settlements of Novgorodskoye and Pobeda, units of the 79th Airborne Assault, 110th mechanized brigades of the VFU and the 129th Theroborona brigade were defeated. In addition, the ammunition depot of the 109th Theroborona Brigade was destroyed.
During the day, the losses of the VFU in three directions amounted to over 790 people and 213 pieces of military equipment, including 68 tanks, infantry fighting vehicles (infantry fighting vehicles), two of which are Bradley, and armored fighting vehicles, including Stryker armored personnel carriers.
Mi-28N attack helicopters of army aviation in the zone of a special military operation
Image Source: Photo: TASS/Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
On the eve of the enemy also tried to carry out massive attacks in these areas. In particular, seven enemy attacks were repelled in Donetsk during the day, units of the 46th Airmobile Brigade of the VFU and the 109th Air Defense Brigade were defeated.
On June 17, the VFU in these areas lost over 500 people and 31 units of military equipment, including four tanks, armored fighting vehicles and howitzers.
— Minefields installed by engineering troops played a big role in the defense, — military expert Vasily Dandykin told Izvestia. — Russian sappers are considered the best in the world, this is proved by our entire history. Thanks to remote mining systems, minefields are quickly established in the rear of the advancing troops: having stumbled upon a solid defense, they try to roll back and rest against these barriers, and here aviation and artillery begin to work on them. All this makes a big contribution to the debacle that can be observed in recent days, including today.
Servicemen of the airborne anti-tank battery of the Airborne Troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation involved in the southern direction of the special military operation
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti
The expert recalled that only in the last 24 hours the VFU lost, in fact, two tank battalions.
— The universal minelayers UMZ-K and UMZ-T, the remote mining system "Agriculture" have shown themselves very well in battles, — he noted. — Their advantage is in efficiency: when intelligence reports that enemy forces are moving in such and such a direction, they block this area with minefields. With the traditional method of setting mines, it would be possible not to have time.
In the West, the effectiveness of these systems has been recognized. In particular, the Polish press noted the combat operation of the remote mining system, which slows down the offensive.
"Thanks to the doctors"
The head of the military department, Sergei Shoigu, visited the Central Military Clinical Hospital named after A.A. Vishnevsky and awarded our military, who are being treated, with state awards - the Order of Courage, medals "For Courage" and Suvorov, the Ministry of Defense reported on June 18.
The Minister stressed that the awarded participants of the special operation adequately fulfilled their duty, and thanked them for their service, wishing them a speedy recovery.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu presents an award to a serviceman at the A.A. Vishnevsky Central Military Clinical Hospital, where servicemen of the Russian Armed Forces who were injured during a special military operation are being treated
Image source: Photo: Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
— Quick evacuation is the most important thing. In the entire history of various wars and operations, by far the largest number of survivors is due to rapid evacuation. The doctors are well done, they work very well and promptly on the spot. Somewhere they use aviation, somewhere motor transport. Thank you to the doctors, thank you to the guys who evacuated, and thank you! Get well! — said Sergei Shoigu, communicating with the servicemen.
The Minister also congratulated the specialists of the medical service of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation on their professional holiday — the Day of the Medical worker, noting their selfless work, professionalism and loyalty to military and professional duty.
— Your merits cannot be overestimated. I wish you courage, patience, good health and success in the most noble service — protecting the life and health of our servicemen," Sergei Shoigu said.
"They won't be able to pass us anyway"
Fighting continues near Avdiivka. Alexander Safiulin, a military correspondent of Izvestia, told about the situation in this direction.
To communicate with the fighters of the Pyatnashka inter-brigade, which is now part of the 87th regiment of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, is not an easy task: you need to get to them through the trenches.
— Positions in the "Tag" are always an obstacle course. There to bend down, here to run, to climb over, but in such a trench there is where to hide," Safiulin said.
Our military, despite the complexity of the Avdiivka direction, is slowly but surely advancing, says a fighter with the call sign YU.
Military personnel of the intelligence unit of the Central Military District in the zone of a special military operation
Image Source: Photo: TASS/Stanislav Krasilnikov
— It's hard, but we're trying to move slowly. We follow orders. Our commander is very good, responsible. We're going, we're trying, we're holding on," he shared.
A serviceman of the 87th regiment of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation with the call sign Tatar believes that the armed formations of Ukraine have raged a little.
— Taking into account their reports that they are going to launch a counteroffensive, they are beginning to put a lot of pressure on our direction. I don't know what this is related to. By and large, they have nowhere to go, since there is a large army and a lot of people behind us. And we are not blindly sewn. They won't be able to pass us anyway. But they are pushing, they are trying to launch their own DRGs, but they are not succeeding," the fighter stressed.
The purpose of the saboteurs' attacks is to strain our line of defense, the Tatar noted.
Combat work of calculations of the Grad multiple launch rocket system for the destruction of objects of camouflaged positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the zone of a special military operation
Image Source: Photo: TASS/Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
— They cannot sit in one place, because they have taken too much equipment and money from foreign countries. Their job is to do what they can. That is, to annoy. They fit, they don't feel sorry for people, they push themselves to death," he said.
A week ago, attacks from the VFU became more frequent. The strokes became erratic, the intervals became not as easy to calculate as before.
— The position — they are slightly moving away. We are not sitting still, we are moving forward. They understand this, they have no other choice but to retreat," the Russian fighter summed up.
The Mi-42 was shot down near Kramatorsk
During two days — on June 17 and 18 — at least 1,655 people and 273 units of military equipment, including tanks, howitzers, self-propelled guns and armored vehicles, were lost in the special operation zone of the VFU, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported.
In the Kharkiv region, the DPR and the LPR, the activities of six sabotage and reconnaissance groups were suppressed. In the Kherson region, an ammunition depot of the 123rd Theroborona brigade was destroyed.
In the DPR and the Kherson region, two radar stations for detecting P-18 air targets were hit. Also in the DPR, the radar for detecting and targeting targets of the S-300 anti-aircraft missile system was hit. The Russian Aerospace Forces shot down a helicopter Mi-24 of the Ukrainian Air Force near Kramatorsk in the DPR.
Andrey Fedorov