Ukrainian formations will attack for another two or three weeks, experts say
On June 20, the Russian armed forces continued to repel attacks in the Zaporozhye, Yuzhnodonetsky and Donetsk directions. During the day, more than 400 servicemen and 42 pieces of military equipment were missing in these sections of the contact line of the VFU. In total, since June 4, the enemy has launched 263 attacks on Russian positions — all of them were repulsed, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said. Experts note that the nationalists will attack until the reserves are depleted and their attacks will last about two to three weeks. Also on June 20, by decree of the President of Russia, the A.A. Vishnevsky Hospital was awarded the Order of Alexander Nevsky, and by order of the head of the Ministry of Defense, he was awarded the honorary banner.
Reflection
The VFU continued its offensive attempts in the South Donets, Zaporozhye and Donetsk directions, the Russian military department reported on June 20.
"The skillful and coordinated actions of the units of the Vostok group of forces, air strikes, artillery fire and heavy flamethrower systems on the Vremevsky ledge and the Orekhovsky tactical direction reflected four attacks of motorized infantry units of the Armed Forces reinforced with tanks," said the official representative of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov.
Three tanks and five armored fighting vehicles were destroyed there. In addition, strikes were carried out on accumulations of manpower and equipment of the VFU in the areas of the settlements of Novopol in the DPR and Levadnoye in the Zaporozhye region.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Konstantin Mikhalchevsky
Image source: iz.ru
The activity of a Ukrainian sabotage group has been suppressed in the Ukrainian tactical direction in the Zaporozhye region.
In the Donetsk direction, the Southern group of troops successfully repelled ten enemy attacks in the areas of Krasnogorovka, Avdiivka and Maryinka.
During the day in these strategic areas, according to the Russian Defense Ministry, the VFU lost more than 400 servicemen and 42 units of military equipment, including nine tanks and a Bradley infantry fighting vehicle.
According to Izvestia sources familiar with the situation, Ukrainian formations continue to intensify the onslaught. At the same time, their losses have increased significantly over the past day. In particular, the greatest number of wounded and killed by the enemy is observed in the area of Pyatikhatka. In fact, the 128th mountain Brigade, which is advancing in this direction, will lose combat capability in the near future, sources say.
Fierce attacks by Ukrainian formations will last another two to three weeks, military expert Vasily Dandykin believes.
Photo: RIA Novosti
Image source: iz.ru
— We will repel these attacks, I am sure, — he believes. — They have already wasted the forces that were involved in the first wave. Now there is a second throw — there are no results, and the forces are melting. Where should they go? They are rushing now because Western curators ordered them to rush. They will not be able to repeat the Kharkov version of the offensive, since our troops have built a competent multi-layered defense. The offensive will not be able to last long. We burn equipment, burn armored personnel carriers, burn tanks. This moment must be endured, and then we will go forward.
By decision-making centers
Ukrainian formations will use a large number of Western weapons and elite formations, whose personnel were trained by NATO specialists, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on June 20.
— Since June 4, the AFU has launched 263 attacks on the positions of Russian troops. Thanks to the competent and selfless actions of our units, all of them were repulsed, the enemy did not achieve the goals," he said.
The Minister also said that the VFU leadership plans to strike at the territory of Russia, including Crimea, with HIMARS and Storm Shadow missiles.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu during a meeting of the Board of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation at the National Defense Management Center of the Russian Federation
Image source: Photo: TASS/press service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
"The use of these missiles outside the zone of a special military operation will mean a full—fledged involvement of the United States and Great Britain in the conflict and will entail immediate strikes on decision—making centers on the territory of Ukraine," the head of the military department stressed.
On June 20, by the decree of the President of Russia "for a great contribution to the development of domestic medicine, high achievements in protecting the health of military personnel, the A.A. Vishnevsky Central Military Clinical Hospital was awarded the Order of Alexander Nevsky. By order of the Minister of Defense, the center was awarded an honorary banner — "as an official military symbol and a relic to perpetuate the memory of the state award."
The doctors of the hospital received state and departmental awards. The team was congratulated by the first Deputy Minister of Defense Ruslan Tsalikov.
"You are making your absolutely invaluable contribution to our common victory by returning people to the service of the Motherland," he said.
Ringing silence
Positional battles are underway in the Avdiivka direction, said Alexander Safiulin, a military correspondent of Izvestia.
The fighters of the VFU and the soldiers of the famous "Tag" are separated by only a couple of hundred meters, so the trenches of different depths are a real salvation. Both sides conduct round-the-clock surveillance, sometimes even hear the voices of the enemy.
Due to the need to listen carefully to the "air" and enemy trenches, commands are given by hand. According to the correspondent, this is the same ringing silence when the crunch of a dry branch underfoot is heard throughout the neighborhood.
Photo: IZVESTIA
Image source: iz.ru
— On the way to the position, we try to keep a distance of several meters, but there are so many stops that we still periodically get into a column, then wait and start moving again. The leading fighter with the call sign Teneri is extremely attentive before each jerk," said Alexander Safiulin.
In order to make it more difficult for the enemy to get into the fighters during the shelling, the passages in the trenches are made with bends and loops. A few hours before the arrival of the journalists, the artillery worked well on the positions of the VFU, now they are recovering, so everything is quiet now.
— Yesterday it was loud, they also have periods. The situation has not changed in any way, it just became more heavy ammunition to fly to us. Everything is moving from our side, and they don't have enough reserves. We are all as collected as possible, perhaps there will be a breakthrough here, or maybe, on the contrary, they are saving up their strength," says Teneri.
Now there is a positional struggle here, both sides are trying to keep each other in suspense.
— The submachine gunner works with a foreign machine gun, the sound is different. He lures out, starts shooting singly. According to who gets out, they begin to work out, and then two snipers and two foreign Brownings are connected from two sides, machine gunners, in a word, begin to mow down," the Tatar explained.
Photo: TASS/Andrey Rubtsov
Image source: iz.ru
All actions of the VFU are conducted according to NATO textbooks. In this area, sabotage and reconnaissance groups began to be noticed more often, whose task is to keep the line in suspense. However, the fighters of the "Tag" are sure that the Ukrainian militants are working on a beautiful picture — there is no sense from their penetrations, they are being destroyed.
Saboteurs were destroyed
During the day, at least 645 people and 63 pieces of military equipment, including 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 on June 20.
In the LPR and the Kharkiv region, the activities of six Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups were suppressed. In addition, eight VFU ammunition depots were destroyed. The Russian air defense system shot down seven HIMARS multiple rocket launchers of 13 Ukrainian UAVs during the day.
Julia Leonova
