Land share: VFU begins to build field fortifications

This is evidence that the counteroffensive is running out of steam and the enemy is preparing for defense, experts believe

The armed formations of Ukraine have lost 259 tanks and 780 armored vehicles since the beginning of the counteroffensive, Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with Russian servicemen in the Kremlin on June 27. The Head of State stressed that only in the Orekhovsky direction, which is key for official Kiev, they have lost 280 units of equipment over the past seven days. Such losses indicate that the first stage, or even the entire Ukrainian offensive, is running out of steam due to heavy losses, experts say. Evidence of this may be the fact that fortifications for infantry, tanks, and other military equipment began to be created in certain areas of the VFU, that is, in fact, to prepare for defense.

Minus a thousand

On June 27, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the losses of Ukrainian forces during a meeting with military personnel of the Ministry of Defense in the Kremlin.

— Since June 4, that is, since the beginning of the so—called counteroffensive, the enemy has lost 259 tanks, 780 armored vehicles, — said the head of the Russian state.

Vladimir Putin also stressed that only in the Orekhovsky direction over the past week, the armed formations of Ukraine have suffered heavy losses.

Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting with military personnel on June 27, 2023

Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Mikhail Tereshchenko

— In the Orekhovsky direction, which the enemy considers the main direction of the strike, the VFU lost 280 pieces of equipment, including 41 tanks and 102 armored vehicles, — he said.

The President dwelt on the principles of forming the backbone of the leadership of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

"In the near future and for the future, the backbone of the leadership of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation should be formed from those who show themselves properly in combat work, including, of course, in its aviation part," Vladimir Putin stressed.

According to Izvestia sources familiar with the situation, some units of the VFU in certain areas of the contact line are not only attacking, but have also begun to gain a foothold in existing positions. Prepare fortifications for infantry, tanks, and other military equipment.

Photo: REUTERS/Serhii Nuzhnenko

Image source: iz.ru

Heavy losses indicate that, at least, the first stage of the counteroffensive failed, military expert Vasily Dandykin told Izvestia.

— Now, apparently, they will try to launch the second stage of the counteroffensive, again probing new directions, in particular, in the Antonovsky Bridge area, but it is unlikely to be as large—scale, - he noted.

The expert agrees that the VFU suffered very heavy losses.

— 259 tanks are more than two full—fledged tank brigades, — he explained. — Of course, not all equipment is imported. But now the Americans have said that 15% of the delivered Bradleys have been destroyed. Maybe even more at the moment. It is difficult to calculate the losses in the depths of the territory from missile strikes. We record what is in the line of fire and what is coming.

Destroyed Ukrainian equipment of Western production

Image source: Photo: Social networks

According to the expert, if we talk about the rest of the equipment, at least three or four brigades remained "horseless".

— This is a difficult, complex, risky work of all those who are on the line of contact — both motorized skirmishers, gunners, tankers, and pilots. And it will continue. Having knocked out our equipment, we must go forward, and the enemy also understands this, is afraid of our strike and the beginning of fortification works is one of the signs of the transition to defense," the expert summed up.

The Russian military department reported on June 27 that during the day the VFU continued to advance in the Krasnolimansky, Donetsk and Yuzhnodonetsky directions.

— In the Krasnolimansky direction, two enemy attacks were successfully repelled by the skillful and coordinated actions of the units of the Center group of troops, — said the official representative of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov.

Units of the 63rd and 67th mechanized brigades of the VFU were also defeated in the areas of the settlements of Chervonaya Dibrova, Chervonopopovka and Serebryanka.

In the Donetsk direction, the Southern group of troops successfully repelled seven enemy attacks. In the area of Avdiivka, an ammunition depot of the 110th mechanized brigade of the VFU was destroyed.

In the area of the Vremevsky salient, units of the Vostok group of troops repelled three enemy attacks. In the Orekhovsky tactical direction, the Russian troops stopped and threw back to their starting positions a motorized infantry platoon of the VFU, which was conducting reconnaissance by combat.

During the day, the losses of the VFU in three directions amounted to over 500 people and 30 pieces of military equipment, among them the Bradley infantry fighting vehicle.

Cuba is nearby

On June 27, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu held talks with Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces Minister Alvaro Lopez at the National Defense Management Center in Moscow.

— Cuba, of course, has been and remains Russia's most important ally in the region. The Cuban friends confirmed their attitude to our country, including demonstrating a full understanding of the reasons for the start of a special military operation in Ukraine," the head of the Russian defense ministry said at the meeting.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of the Republic of Cuba Alvaro Lopez Miera (center) during a meeting at the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

Image source: Photo: TASS/press service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

Sergei Shoigu stressed that Russian-Cuban relations are on the rise today — a high rate of development of political dialogue between our countries has been achieved.

He noted that in conditions when the United States has been carrying out an illegal trade and economic blockade of Cuba for many decades, Russia is ready to help it.

In turn, Alvaro Lopez said that Havana opposes unilateral anti-Russian sanctions that contradict the UN Charter.

— The United States and some of its allies have repeatedly invaded sovereign countries in pursuit of their interests. Cuba is against such a policy of hypocrisy and double standards," the Cuban minister said.

The Dnieper Frontier

The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation are restoring fortifications after flooding of the right bank of the Dnieper. The military correspondent of Izvestia, Emil Timashev, observed the work of our military in positions in the Kherson region.

According to our correspondent, now the left bank of the Dnieper is being strengthened by the Russian military.

Photo: RIA Novosti/Konstantin Mikhalchevsky

Image source: iz.ru

— The rumors that the sabotage and reconnaissance units of the VFU are landing here and walking freely, of course, are pure lies, - Timashev was convinced at the scene of the events.

Armed formations do not give up trying to get to our fortifications, being active and shelling cities that were under water until recently, after the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station was blown up.

— When there was water here, the enemy tried to appear in positions on boats, speedboats and even on jet skis. But all these sorties were suppressed in a timely manner by artillery fire," the fighter with the call sign Shadow clarified.

Ukrainian militants are found using UAV calculations. If the approach is dangerous, then they are destroyed with small arms.

The footage from the elevator provided by the correspondent shows the tributaries of the Dnieper and the surroundings of Kherson. But picturesque views are not the most important thing here, these shots confirm that this elevator is under the control of our units.

Photo: IZVESTIA

Image source: iz.ru

The fighters tell how they recently shot down the Su-25 of the Ukrainian Air Force.

— Accuracy is especially important here. If you launch the rocket earlier, it may fall into a heat trap. Later — it won't catch up. When the plane turned its belly towards me, I fired a rocket. We realized that the plane had crashed because there was an explosion, a bright flash, a flame. But it was far away," said a serviceman with the call sign Beaver. The downed Ukrainian plane was the first on his account.

Air defense work

During the day, at least 600 people and 40 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.

In the Zaporozhye region and the LPR, the activities of three Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups were suppressed.

In the DPR, the communication center of the 110th mechanized brigade of the VFU and the command post of the 10th mountain assault brigade were destroyed. An ammunition depot of the 60th mechanized brigade of the VFU was destroyed in the Kharkiv region.

Russian air defense systems shot down two HIMARS multiple rocket launchers and six Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles.

Andrey Fedorov

Julia Leonova