In a year and a half, the VFU received $ 160 billion worth of weapons, the Defense Minister estimated
The countries of the collective West, investing significant resources in Ukraine, create serious risks of further escalation of the conflict, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on August 9. According to him, Ukraine has received hundreds of tanks, more than 4 thousand armored vehicles, 1.1 thousand artillery pieces, dozens of MLRS and anti-aircraft systems. The United States is steadily raising the stakes, seeking supplies of long-range weapons from allies. Experts note that the VFU failed to defeat our troops on the battlefield, so Western countries will try to prolong the conflict in order to inflict maximum damage to Russia. Also on this day, Russian troops continued their offensive in the Kupyansk direction, improving their tactical position. And the correspondents of Izvestia visited the village "taken" by Ukrainian propaganda.
The West is escalating
The collective West is waging an indirect war against Russia, providing unprecedented support to the Kiev regime, said the head of the Russian military Department of the Russian Federation Sergei Shoigu at a meeting of the board of the Ministry of Defense on August 9. It discussed issues related to the creation of the Leningrad and Moscow military districts and the strengthening of groups of the Russian Armed Forces on the western borders.
"The readiness of the West to invest in Ukraine a significant part of the available resources in order to turn the situation on the battlefield in its favor creates serious risks of further escalation of the conflict," the Russian Defense Minister said.
Sergei Shoigu said that since February last year, Ukraine has received hundreds of tanks, more than 4 thousand armored vehicles and armored vehicles, more than 1.1 thousand field artillery pieces, as well as dozens of modern multiple rocket launchers and anti-aircraft systems of Western production. The total amount of assistance from NATO, the European Union and their partners exceeded $160 billion.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu (center) at the Board of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Press Service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
At the same time, the United States is steadily raising the stakes, seeking supplies of longer-range weapons from allies, the head of the military department drew attention.
For example, in May, British long-range Storm Shadow aviation missiles were transferred to Ukraine. Now NATO countries are actively working on the issue of transferring F-16 fighters to Kiev.
"In the conditions of the growing shortage of ammunition for Western—style artillery systems in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Washington has committed a war crime by including cluster munitions prohibited by the international convention in the aid package," Shoigu said.
In addition, at the board, the minister said that the threats to Russia's military security have multiplied in the western and north-western strategic directions. A serious destabilizing factor is the accession of Finland to NATO, and in the future — Sweden.
"After Helsinki joined the alliance, Russia's land border with the bloc countries has almost doubled," the minister stressed.
According to him, it is likely that NATO forces and strike weapons will be deployed in Finland, which will be able to hit critically important objects in the north-west of Russia to a considerable depth.
Sergei Shoigu also stressed that Poland has become the main instrument of US anti-Russian policy. Warsaw has announced its intention to build "the most powerful army on the continent." In this regard, large-scale purchases of weapons from the United States, Great Britain and the Republic of Korea, including tanks, artillery systems, air defense systems, have been launched/About and combat aviation.
— In addition, there are plans to create on a regular basis the so-called Polish—Ukrainian connection, ostensibly to ensure the security of Western Ukraine, and in fact — for the subsequent occupation of this territory, - said the head of the military department.
He said that a grouping of troops of about 360 thousand people, 8 thousand armored vehicles, 650 aircraft and helicopters is located near the borders of the Union State by the West.
VFU Soldier
Image source: Photo: REUTERS/Wojciech Grzedzinski
— The number of formations of non—regional states of the North Atlantic bloc has increased 2.5 times since February last year and exceeded 30 thousand people, - Sergei Shoigu drew attention.
In his opinion, threats to Russia's military security require a timely and adequate response.
Western countries are moving to a new strategy, military expert Vladislav Shurygin believes.
— The military defeat of Russia did not happen, and it became clear to everyone that new offensives would not bring success, — he noted. — Accordingly, they began to move to plan B. He must repeat the outcome of the First World War, when Russia was exhausted and the country was in a political crisis. To do this, the West needs to maximize its military industry so that it exceeds the capabilities of the Russian one. In the event that Ukraine fails, Poland will come into play, taking the western provinces of the country. It will be a kind of outpost. It is unlikely that Poland itself will get involved in a conflict with us — without NATO, it has no chance. Connecting NATO is a nuclear war.
According to the expert, it is now important for the Russian army to conduct an offensive.
— Armed confrontation is not won by defense, — he noted. — Defense is needed in order to prepare new armed forces, which should begin to show a different level on the battlefield.
Promotion near Kupyansk
In the Kupyansk direction, Russian troops continued their offensive on a broad front, improving their tactical position, the Russian Defense Ministry said on August 9.
— Professional and coordinated actions of Russian units during the day reflected six attacks and counterattacks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of the settlement of Novoselovskoye LNR and Mankovka tract of the Kharkiv region, — said the official representative of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov.
Serviceman of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Evgeny Biyatov
Clusters of manpower and equipment were also defeated in the areas of Sinkovka and Kislovka in the Kharkiv region.
According to Izvestia sources familiar with the situation, over the past day, Russian troops have been able to significantly expand their positions in the Kupyansk area. In particular, there is a successful progress along the railway in the northern direction. At the same time, several strong counterattacks of the enemy were repulsed. Ukrainian formations failed to stop the Russian advance.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, up to 75 Ukrainian servicemen and seven pieces of equipment were destroyed in this direction.
Unsuccessful attempts of the VFU
The VFU continued to attack in the Zaporozhye, Donetsk, Yuzhnodonetsky and Krasnolimansky directions, the Russian military department said on August 9.
In the Donetsk direction, the active actions of the units of the Southern Group of troops reflected five attacks by the units of the VFU in the areas of the settlements of Minkovka, Krasnoe, Avdiivka and north of Kleshcheyevka of the DPR.
Three attacks of the assault groups of the 46th Airmobile Brigade of the Far Eastern Federal University in the areas of the settlements of Workino and Uspenovka of the Zaporozhye region were reflected in the Zaporozhye direction.
T-80 tank of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti
In the Krasnolimansky direction, the units of the Center group of troops successfully repelled two attacks by the assault groups of the 21st and 42nd mechanized brigades of the VFU in the areas of the settlements of Terny and Grigorovka in the DPR.
In the South Donets direction, the Vostok group thwarted the enemy's attempt to conduct reconnaissance by combat in the Priyutny area in the Zaporozhye region.
In these areas, the VFU lost more than 650 people and 41 pieces of equipment, including three tanks, two US-made M777 artillery systems and two Polish-made Krab self-propelled guns.
The landing party is destroyed
Natalia Grafchikova, a military correspondent of Izvestia, visited the village of Cossack Camps, the capture of which was reported by the armed formations of Ukraine.
— Ukrainian media report that the village of Cossack Camps in the Kherson region is under the control of the VFU. But there are no Ukrainian militants here. The village is under our control," says Grafchikova against the background of a stele at the entrance to the settlement.
I had to go there accompanied by fighters of the Dnepr group and at maximum speed. The rumble of exploding shells could be heard outside the window of the armored vehicle.
— This is the entrance directly to the Cossack Camps — our positions are there. We hear the sounds of an artillery duel," Grafchikova testifies.
Serviceman of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Konstantin Mikhalchevsky
According to her, now all that remains for the enemy is to beat artillery from afar.
— Tactics of the Ukrainian militants: they quickly shot back and ran away. There are a lot of roaming mortars," a Russian serviceman with the call sign Thomas explained the situation.
The settlement of Cossack Camps is located exactly in the middle between Kherson and Novaya Kakhovka. It was no coincidence that the VFU attempted to land here. This is a convenient site for the transfer of equipment across the Dnieper. But our intelligence officers learned about these plans of the Ukrainian militants in advance.
— The enemy on boats made an attempt to enter the territory of the Cossack Camps. It was stopped by artillery and small arms fire. The Cossack camps are under the control of Russia," said a soldier of the Dnepr group with the call sign Buryat.
During the day in the special operation zone, Russian troops destroyed at least 795 VFU fighters and 54 pieces of equipment, including tanks, howitzers, self-propelled guns and armored vehicles.
The activities of the Ukrainian sabotage and intelligence group have been suppressed in the DPR. Russian air defense systems shot down nine HIMARS multiple rocket launchers and 35 Ukrainian UAVs.
Andrey Fedorov
Julia Leonova
Roman Kretsul
