Hands were untied: what response will the Russian Federation give to the supply of cluster munitions to Kiev

Sergei Shoigu stated Russia's superiority in the effectiveness and diversity of this type of weapons

In the case of the supply of American cluster munitions to Ukraine, our army will be forced to use similar means of destruction, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on July 11. Experts note that the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have large stocks of such projectiles, but until recently they did not use them in the zone of their own in order to avoid escalation. At the same time, domestic analogues are superior to foreign ones. According to Izvestia's sources in the military department, the Russian army has all the necessary means to destroy Ukrainian carriers of cluster munitions.

Proportional response

If the United States starts supplying cluster munitions to Ukraine, the Russian army will be forced to use similar means of destruction against the VFU as a retaliatory measure, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on July 11.

— The whole world has already seen that they have confirmed the transfer of cluster munitions. Justify it in different ways. They say that taking into account the fact that conventional 155-caliber ammunition has actually run out, so now, until their production starts, they decided to cover up with these cluster munitions," the minister said.

According to him, the Russian troops also have such weapons, but they are much more effective than the American ones, their nomenclature is wider and more diverse.

The head of the military department also stressed that Russia, realizing the threat posed by cluster weapons to civilians, has always refrained and refrains from using them.

According to Izvestia's sources in the military department, Russian troops have all the necessary means to neutralize and destroy Ukrainian carriers of cluster munitions supplied by Western countries. The Russian Armed Forces are armed with similar ammunition, but their characteristics are superior to foreign models.

9M55K unguided rockets are used for the Smerch MLRS

Image source: Photo: IZVESTIA/Dmitry Korotaev

Their use will now be justified, since we cannot fight with one tied hand, says former UN Deputy Secretary General Sergei Ordzhonikidze.

"This weapon was not used in a special military operation, but if it is used against us, we will give a proportional response," he said. — By the way, we have a lot of these shells. This is a kind of answer for the West: they must understand that this leads to escalation and we have something to answer with. Escalation in terms of the use of new types of weapons that have not been used before in the conflict. Unfortunately, it happens constantly, step by step. The West first started supplying tanks, and now supplies cluster shells.

The expert noted that cluster munitions make it difficult, first of all, to attack.

— With their help, strikes are carried out on squares, — he noted. — They are not very scary to the defending side, but it can have an impact on the offensive. Why do Americans do this? Two reasons. The first is that, as they themselves say, they have run out of shells, except for these. Secondly, they foresee that after all Ukrainian attacks are repelled, our serious offensive will begin. And they are afraid of him.

Leopards and Bradleys are on fire

On July 11, Sergei Shoigu summed up the interim results of the Ukrainian counteroffensive. According to him, since June 4, the enemy's losses amounted to more than 26 thousand soldiers and 3 thousand units of various weapons. 21 aircraft, five helicopters, 1,244 tanks and other armored fighting vehicles were destroyed.

Among them are 17 German Leopards, five French wheeled AMX tanks and 12 American Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, the minister noted.

— In addition, we destroyed 914 units of special military vehicles, two anti—aircraft missile systems, 25 multiple rocket launchers, 403 field artillery and mortars, - said the head of the military department.

The frame of the destroyed tank

Image source: Photo: Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

These included 43 American M777 artillery systems and 46 self-propelled artillery units from Poland, the USA and France.

Russian air defense systems shot down 176 HIMARS rockets, 27 Storm Shadow cruise missiles and 483 UAVs.

— In general, the enemy has not achieved its goals in any of the directions. Moreover, we continue to deliver effective strikes with high—precision long-range weapons against the reserves of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and military equipment coming from the West, significantly reducing the offensive potential of the enemy," he said.

Sergei Shoigu highlighted the highest resilience of our servicemen and the prompt response of commanders to changes in the situation.

Unsuccessful attacks

The head of the military department said that the VFU continues its unsuccessful attacks, trying to break through our defenses in different directions.

— Literally over the past two days, several waves of attacks have been launched on units of the 7th company of the 70th Motorized Rifle Regiment and the 291st regiment of the 42nd Motorized Rifle Division. As a result of two days of almost continuous fighting, the enemy lost up to 90 personnel in this direction, four tanks, three of them Leopard, 15 infantry fighting vehicles, six of which Bradley," he said.

According to him, in the Krasnolimansk direction, the assault detachments of the 15th and 21st motorized rifle brigades of the Center group of troops repelled the offensive of the motorized infantry company of the VFU near the settlement of Karmazinovka.

Servicemen of a motorized rifle company in the zone of a special military operation

Image Source: Photo: TASS/Andrey Rubtsov

"Having inflicted a fire defeat on him, the Russian units launched a counterattack, advancing 1.5 km deep and 2 km along the front," Shoigu stressed.

In addition, the Defense Minister said that Vladimir Putin, despite his workload, twice a day hears the command of the Combined Group, as well as individual commanders and commanders with detailed reports on the current situation.

— In detail on each direction. All commanders at all levels understand and feel the full measure of responsibility that is assigned to them, and carry out tasks with honor," the head of the military department added.

New equipment

Since March 2022, the number of purchased and upgraded weapons supplied under the state defense order has been increased by 1.8 times, Sergei Shoigu also said.

According to the head of the military department, deliveries of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) "Orlan" to the troops have increased 53 times since the beginning of 2022, and T-72 and T-90 tanks — 3.6 times.

— Uralvagonzavod has increased the supply and overhaul of T-72 and T-90 tanks by 3.6 times. Kurgan Machine-Building Plant increased supplies and overhaul of BMP-3 by 2.1 times. Arzamas Machine-Building Plant has increased the supply of BTR-82A four times, and Tiger—M has doubled," Shoigu said.

Servicemen of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation on the T-72 tank

Image source: Photo: IZVESTIA/Andrey Erstrem

In addition, on July 11, Sergei Shoigu inspected a number of enterprises located in Tatarstan that fulfill the state defense order.

Together with the head of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov, he inspected various samples of armored vehicles at the Remdiesel plant. In particular, the KAMAZ trucks with an armored cabin, the medical vehicle Lens, as well as the MT-LB modernization line. Next, the minister visited KAMAZ, which produces trucks with increased armor protection for the army.

— There is a need for these machines, there is a need for repair, there is a need for maintenance, — said the head of the military department.

He also stated the interest of the Ministry of Defense in the modernization of MT-LB armored personnel carriers.

— We need to make a more modern car, — said the minister.

Then Shoigu and Minnikhanov visited the Kazan Helicopter Plant, where they were informed about the production of light Ansat helicopters and various modifications of the Mi-8 military transport helicopter. In addition, the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation and the Head of Tatarstan visited JSC "Kazan Optical and Mechanical Plant", which produces laser rangefinders, thermal imaging and other optical devices.

Sergei Shoigu was shown an upgraded Mi-24 helicopter with an increased target detection and identification range. At the Kazan Aviation Plant named after S. Gorbunov, the Minister was informed that this year the Russian Armed Forces will receive two new and two upgraded Tu-160 "White Swan" strategic missile carriers.

Burns it down

Kirill Olkov, a military correspondent of Izvestia, observed how the heavy flamethrower systems (CBT) "Solntsepek" work in the Zaporozhye region.

— In the dense thicket of the forest, the CBT "Solntsepek" is carefully hidden under a natural disguise. From above it is covered with camouflage and anti—drone nets so that the armed formations of Ukraine could not calculate it from the air and destroy it," he said.

The combat vehicle leaves its position only for the duration of the combat mission.

The calculation of the heavy flamethrower tries to work as quickly as possible. Takes his position, fires thermobaric shells and returns to the shelter. Spotters report that the target is hit.

— It can be seen that half of the combat kit has been used up. Each such thermobaric projectile covers an area of 200 sq. m," Kirill Olkov said.

The error when the projectile hits does not exceed 10 m. It is impossible to escape from thermobaric ammunition.

— He defeats by pressure. The picture is not pleasant for the enemy. He is afraid," stressed the commander of the CBT platoon with the call sign Oriole.

CBT "Solntsepek" always guards the fire support department on armored vehicles. This group protects the system from Ukrainian saboteurs. The VFU is trying to hunt for our combat vehicles.

Minus two Ukrainian Su-25

Over the past day, at least 515 people and 72 units of military equipment, including tanks, howitzers, self-propelled guns and armored vehicles, have been lost in the area of the special operation, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported on July 11.

In the Kherson region, the ammunition depot of the 124th brigade of the territorial Defense was hit. Also, the activities of the Ukrainian sabotage and intelligence group were suppressed in the DPR.

A fragment of the wing of the Ukrainian Su-25 attack aircraft

Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Andrey Stenin

Russian air defenses shot down two Su-25 aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force in the areas of Sadovoye and Tyaginka settlements of the Kherson region. Three Storm Shadow cruise missiles, one HIMARS multiple launch rocket and 10 Ukrainian UAVs were also intercepted.

Andrey Fedorov

Bogdan Stepovoy