The enemy lost three or four brigades out of nine assembled to break through our defense, experts estimated
During the counteroffensive, which began on June 4, Ukrainian forces lost 245 tanks and 678 armored vehicles. Due to the heavy losses of the enemy, there is now a relative lull on the line of contact, President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with graduates of Russian military universities. Nevertheless, on June 21, the armed formations of Ukraine (VFU) continued attacks in three directions — Yuzhnodonetsky, Donetsk and Zaporozhye. All of them were successfully repulsed by our troops. Experts note that Ukraine has already lost three or four full–fledged brigades out of nine assembled for the counteroffensive.
245 tanks were "hammered"
On June 21, Vladimir Putin met with graduates of military universities and congratulated them on the successful completion of their studies. The Head of State noted that during the special military operation, the latest models of armored vehicles, shock missile and aviation complexes, air defense and electronic warfare systems make a huge contribution to solving combat tasks, and their production will continue.
Counter-battery warfare systems are being improved, and the deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles and robotic strike complexes to the troops continues, which have proven themselves well in combat conditions.
— We will force their mass release. It is necessary to provide all military units with this equipment, including squads, platoons, companies and battalions," Putin said.
At the end of the reception in St. George's Hall, the President talked with graduates of military universities, June 21, 2023
Image source: Photo: REUTERS/Kremlin/Sputnik/Gavriil Grigorov
The Head of State also spoke about the course of the special military operation. He recalled that the Ukrainian forces launched a counteroffensive on June 4 using strategic reserves. Now there is a certain lull associated with serious losses from the enemy.
— For last night, more precisely, for tonight (on June 21. — "Izvestia"), — I'm not talking about the losses of personnel, they are very significant, — our men have accumulated 245 enemy tanks and about 678 armored vehicles of various types, — he noted.
According to the President, now the enemy is combining new units from brigades that have suffered serious losses, and is engaged in restoring combat capability.
— But, of course, he fears the same large—scale losses in the future, because this can lead not only to the loss of combat capability - more precisely, not only to the loss of offensive potential, but also to the loss of combat capability of the army as a whole. There is something to think about," the head of state said.
At the same time, the President noted, at the moment the offensive potential of the Ukrainian forces has not been exhausted, there are still reserves.
— Now I have just said and I want to repeat once again: thanks to the courage and heroism of our fighters, the readiness of the commanders to repel any aggressive actions against Russia, it seems to me that the enemy has no chance, — he said.
During the meeting, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told the graduates that they graduated "at an exceptionally responsible time for the country, when the fate of our Motherland is being decided, its geopolitical future is being determined."
Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu during a meeting with graduates of military universities, June 21, 2023
Image source: Photo: REUTERS/Pool/Sputnik/Yegor Aleev
According to him, the highest professionalism, maximum dedication, the ability to quickly make non-standard decisions and take responsibility will be required from the officers.
— You are entrusted with the training and education of personnel. Boldly introduce the experience of a special military operation into combat training," the minister urged.
The losses announced by the president mean that at the first stage Ukraine lost the mechanized corps in people and equipment, military expert Vasily Dandykin told Izvestia.
— These are three or four full–fledged VFU brigades out of the nine that were assembled for the counteroffensive, — he noted. — These are very heavy losses of the Ukrainian forces. Not critical — there are still reserves left — but very large. No one expected this, and Zelensky himself, who knows how to lie, said that this is not Hollywood and everything is complicated here.
The expert noted that everything was stalled in the south of the VFU, and in the north our troops began to advance — both in the Marinka area and in the Seversk area there are already tactical successes.
— The enemy needs to think about how to repel the blow with existing forces, or to transfer reserves there from the south, — said Vasily Dandykin. — They expected that after the attack on the Belgorod region, we would abandon the reserves, bare the southern direction where he wanted to go. But he didn't get that option, the guys are holding on there.
Strong defense
On June 21, the Russian military department reported that the VFU continued its offensive attempts in the South Donets, Zaporozhye and Donetsk directions.
— In the area of the Vremyevsky salient, operational-tactical and army aviation struck AFU units in the areas of the settlements of Novodonetsky, Storozhevoye DNR and Levadnoye of the Zaporozhye region, — said the official representative of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov.
Photo: RIA Novosti/ Mikhail Voskresensky
Image source: iz.ru
As a result of the strikes, one tank, an infantry fighting vehicle and three armored vehicles were destroyed.
In the Zaporozhye direction, the troops of the Vostok group repelled two attacks by units of the 65th mechanized brigade of the VFU, reinforced with tanks, in the areas of Novodanilovka and Yablokovo of the Zaporozhye region.
In addition, fire damage was inflicted on enemy columns advancing in the direction of the settlements of Lobkovo and Kamenskoye of the Zaporozhye region, as well as on the accumulation of manpower and equipment in the area of Belogorye in the Zaporozhye region.
In the Donetsk direction, the Southern group of troops successfully repelled 10 enemy attacks in the areas of the settlements of Veseloye, Georgievka, Pervomaiske, Krasnogorovka, Vodiane and Maryinka in the DPR.
According to Izvestia sources familiar with the situation, on June 21, the enemy again focused efforts on capturing the settlement of Pyatikhatki. Today, the VFU once again managed to occupy several buildings, but later were knocked out by the attack of motorized infantry and air strikes and artillery.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Konstantin Mikhalchevsky
Image source: iz.ru
During the day, according to the Russian Defense Ministry, Ukrainian forces lost more than 600 servicemen and 46 pieces of military equipment, including nine tanks, in these strategic areas.
Cover each other up
The armed formations of Ukraine are trying to break through our defenses in the Ugledar direction during a counteroffensive. The military correspondent of Izvestia, Daniil Levin, visited the positions of the fighters of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
— Suppression of equipment, enemy manpower, fortified areas. Stand to the end, destroy, beat the enemy! Victory will be ours in any case," the senior operator of the ATGM calculation with the call sign Chin describes his work.
In the last battles, Ukrainian servicemen began to surrender. One of them is Viktor Kosenko. He, like many others, was taken to the trenches right from the factory in the middle of the working day and forcibly taken to the military enlistment office.
He survived and now remembers his combat path.
— Those who are not mobilized, we must avoid this by any means! This is one hundred percent! We're just cannon fodder… I didn't go on the first offensive. My unit was walking. Well, a complete rout! A lot was written at once, I don't know how many, a large number of refusals," Kosenko testifies.
While the fierce confrontation continues on the line of contact of the Ugledar direction, the fighters in the rear are training before the new rotation.
According to the correspondent, the firing of a machine gunner differs from automatic bursts. He works separately — he covers his comrades.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Konstantin Morozov
Image source: iz.ru
— When the first part of the group moves on, the guys start shooting. And they work with real live ammunition. Therefore, everything is like in real conditions, — said Daniil Levin.
Moving fast, covering each other. Each action is worked out to automatism, the rest can be obtained only with experience.
— The most important thing is the eyes and ears. You need to listen to the shots of a mortar, a tank — where the shot comes from and where you need to hide. Into the smallest hole, trench, dugout. What kind of shelter I found, I took refuge there," said the squad commander with the call sign Nimble.
These skills will allow our fighters to survive in the hardest battle.
The UAVs did not reach
On June 21, Vladimir Putin awarded the honorary name "Guards" to the 39th separate helicopter Regiment and the 27th separate radiation, chemical and biological protection brigade. They were awarded "for mass heroism and bravery, fortitude and courage shown by the brigade's personnel in combat operations to protect the Fatherland."
During the day, at least 835 people and 68 pieces 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 on June 21.
In the LPR, Kharkiv and Zaporozhye regions, the activities of nine Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups were suppressed.
Ammunition depots of three VFU formations were destroyed in the DPR and the Kharkiv region, and the command post of the 128th mountain assault brigade was hit in the Zaporozhye region.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Press Service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
Image source: iz.ru
Also on June 21, three Ukrainian drones made an unsuccessful attempt to carry out a terrorist attack on the territory of the Moscow region. All of them were destroyed by electronic warfare, as a result of which they lost control and crashed. There is no damage and no injuries.
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