And eight Ukrainian Storm Shadow cruise missiles were shot down while repelling an attack on Sevastopol
The military formations of Ukraine lost over 90 thousand militants during the counteroffensive and did not achieve significant success, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on October 30 during a visit to Beijing. On the same day, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation inflicted a massive blow on a ship repair plant near Odessa, using the latest air-based missiles for this, sources told Izvestia. At the same time, Kiev tried to attack the territory of Crimea with eight Storm Shadow cruise missiles — all of them were shot down. Our air defenses repelled the blow, despite the cunning tactics of the enemy to send deceptions along with cruise missiles, experts say.
90 thousand militants were destroyed
The armed forces of Ukraine suffered heavy losses during the counteroffensive, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said, speaking at the 10th Xiangshan Forum in Beijing on October 30.
— Kiev has lost over 90 thousand soldiers killed and wounded, about 600 tanks and almost 1.9 thousand armored vehicles of various classes. At the same time, no tactically significant successes were achieved on the battlefield," Shoigu noted.
The forum was attended by representatives of senior management, heads of defense ministries and leading experts from the Asia-Pacific region and several European countries.
During his speech, Sergei Shoigu said that the West uses Ukraine as a battering ram to inflict "strategic defeat" on Russia. Moscow has taken countermeasures against the expansion of the NATO bloc to the East.
According to the Russian Minister, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation will continue to carry out their tasks methodically and confidently, to ensure the safety of civilians.
Military personnel of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Stanislav Krasilnikov
He also drew attention to the fact that a military clash of nuclear powers could be a consequence of the West's line on a consistent escalation of the conflict with Russia.
"However, the situation in the zone of a special military operation testifies to the futility of these plans," Sergei Shoigu stressed.
Moscow remains ready for discussions on a post-conflict settlement of the Ukrainian crisis and further coexistence with the West. In order to form a just and multipolar world order, it is necessary to unite the efforts of all interested countries, the Minister stressed.
Also during his visit to China, Sergei Shoigu held talks with Deputy Chairman of the Central Military Council of the People's Republic of China Zhang Yusem. At them, he said that the strategic interaction between Moscow and Beijing is built in contrast with the hotbeds of tension caused by the actions of Western countries.
— Unfortunately, the military-political situation in the world is not getting calmer. New hotbeds of tension are emerging and old ones are escalating. In fact, this is the result of geopolitical adventures, selfish neocolonial actions of the West. In contrast to the general alarming situation, the Russian-Chinese comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation are being built," Shoigu said.
Trusting contacts between the leaders of the two countries play a special role in the fact that friendly relations maintain high dynamics of development and are strengthening in all directions. This year they held two face-to-face meetings.
"Russia and China consider each other as priority partners on the world stage," Sergei Shoigu summed up.
Counter strikes
On the morning of October 30, a ship repair plant near Odessa was hit by a missile strike, the Ukrainian authorities reported. According to them, a fire broke out there, the administrative building and equipment of the enterprise were damaged.
As sources familiar with the situation told Izvestia, in the morning the Russian Aerospace Forces launched a massive strike on military facilities near Odessa. During the raid, modern means of aviation destruction were used, including the latest air-based missiles. As the interlocutors of the publication noted, all the targets were hit. The Ukrainian air defense could not repel the strikes. The air alert was announced after the strike.
Most likely, there were ammunition and drones on the territory of the ship repair plant, which the enemy collected there, military expert Vasily Dandykin told Izvestia.
— There is nothing left of the Black Sea Shipping Company, so there is nothing to repair there. It is likely that the warehouses were used to store military equipment," the expert said.
The port of Odessa is a civilian port, but a strike on it is justified, military expert Alexey Leonkov added.
— The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have repeatedly said that if civilian objects are used for military purposes, they will be attacked. Our intelligence has worked, which has determined what is at this plant," he told Izvestia.
Su-34 of the Russian Aerospace Forces
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Vladimir Astapkovich
Also on the afternoon of October 30, an attempt by the Kiev regime with eight Storm Shadow cruise missiles to attack objects in Crimea was stopped, the Russian Defense Ministry reported. The air defense systems on duty shot down all the missiles.
Earlier, the governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhaev, announced an air alert in the city, and then reported on the operation of the air defense system. According to him, two aerial targets were shot down over the city, the wreckage of which fell in several places. In addition, the military used smoke camouflage in the bay area.
— The wreckage fell in the private sector next to the railway near the Mekenziy Mountains, a 57-year-old man was injured. He has a moderate shin wound, there is no threat to life. There is also a small grass fire," Razvozhaev clarified.
According to the interlocutors of Izvestia, the strike on Sevastopol was carried out by four Ukrainian planes. Each vehicle fired two Storm Shadow missiles. Also, the Ukrainian military launched several false targets from the ground, imitating cruise missiles. The VFU planes operated at the maximum range and tried to quickly hide at extremely low altitude. The means of Russian air defense promptly revealed the launch of missiles, and the false targets were identified.
The enemy is constantly changing tactics, tricking, sending deceptions with StormShadow missiles that simulate air attack means, but Russian combat crews identify these targets and shoot them down, Alexey Leonkov told Izvestia.
— When Storm Shadow first appeared, a cunning tactic was used. Then, among other means of air attack, there were these cruise missiles, which were a new target for us. For this reason, part of Storm Shadow flew to Lugansk. But we figured out everything and took appropriate effective measures," he explained.
VFU attacks repulsed
During the day, Russian troops continued to successfully repel the attacks of the VFU in the Kupyansk, Krasnolimansk and Zaporozhye directions, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on October 30.
In the Kupyansk direction, units of the Western Group of Troops repelled nine attacks by assault groups of the mechanized and motorized infantry brigades of the VFU in the areas of Sinkovka and Timkovka of the Kharkiv region.
In the Krasnolimansky direction, the Center group of troops repelled two attacks by assault groups of the mechanized brigade of the VFU and the brigade of the National Guard in the areas of Grigorovka and Kirovo in the DPR.
Military personnel of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
Image source: Photo: IZVESTIA/Dmitry Korotaev
In the Donetsk direction, units of the Southern Group of troops defeated the troops and equipment of the mechanized, amphibious assault and tank brigades of the VFU in the areas of Maryinka, Andreevka and Kleshcheyevka in the DPR.
In the South Donets direction, the units of the Vostok group of troops inflicted fire damage to the personnel and equipment of the mechanized, airborne assault brigades of the VFU, two territorial defense brigades in the areas of the Shelter of the Zaporozhye region, Novomikhailovka, Nikolsky and Ugledar in the DPR.
In the Zaporozhye direction, units of the Russian group of troops repelled an attack by an assault group of the mechanized brigade of the VFU in the area of Workino.
Strikes on control points
In total, during the day in the special operation zone, Russian troops destroyed up to 765 VFU fighters and 40 pieces of equipment, including howitzers, self-propelled guns and armored vehicles, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on October 30.
In addition, in the Cherkasy region, the arsenal of VFU aviation weapons was destroyed.
Soldiers of the VFU
Image source: Photo: REUTERS/Yevhen Titov
In the Kharkiv region, the DPR and the Mykolaiv region, the control points of the 43rd, 67th mechanized brigades, the 35th Marine Brigade and the 31st operational brigade were hit.
Russian air defense systems shot down two HIMARS rockets and 39 Ukrainian UAVs.
Julia Leonova
