Supporting figures and facts are presented at the final board of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
The events of the past year have confirmed that the West continues to wage a hybrid war against Russia. This was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin on December 19 at the board of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation (MO RF). NATO countries provide the Kiev regime with intelligence information in real time, send military advisers, and transfer modern weapons systems.
All this requires accelerated rearmament of the Russian army. By the end of the year, 15 launchers of the Yars and Avangard missile systems will be put on combat duty in the strategic missile forces. Aviation has already received four Tu-160M strategic bombers. The volume of deliveries of armored vehicles has tripled. In general, the number of purchased basic weapons has increased 2.7 times, and the number of particularly demanded ones has increased seven times.
The topic of confrontation with the West was also discussed on the "Direct Line" on December 14. The United States is pursuing a course towards the formation of new military-political blocs and expanding the geography of the previously created ones. "We are closely monitoring this and will respond jointly, on time and effectively," Putin said. Russia focuses primarily on strengthening cooperation with China. Our countries are actively cooperating in both the military and economic fields (trade turnover growth exceeds 30% annually), "but we are not creating any blocks."
Answering the question "When will there be peace?", Putin said that the special military operation (SVO) will continue until Russia reaches its previously set goals of denazification and demilitarization of Ukraine. The ruling regime there was offered to choose the neutral status of its country, but Kiev refused agreements on this issue. "They don't want to negotiate – well, then we have to take other measures, including military ones."
The United States and its satellites want Ukraine to be a member of NATO. They are intensively supplying the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) with weapons.
The bloc's member countries handed over 420-430 tanks to the Armed Forces (plus almost 2,300 armored vehicles of various classes), but combat losses during the so–called summer counteroffensive turned out to be higher – 747 units. Since Ukraine produces almost nothing on its own, the potential of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is steadily decreasing. Since the beginning of the war, the losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have exceeded 383 thousand soldiers killed and wounded, 14 thousand armored vehicles, 553 aircraft, 259 helicopters and 8.5 thousand guns, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said. Only during the counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, 159 thousand military and 121 aircraft were lost.
Having suffered a number of setbacks in Zaporozhye, in the area of Ugledar and Artemovsk, the Ukrainian command decided to try their luck in the Kherson direction. "The last attempt – at least today it looks like the last attempt – was to break through to the left bank of the Dnieper and secure movement towards Crimea," Putin explained. By concentrating artillery fire on a narrow area, the enemy managed to force the river and gain a foothold on the bridgehead at Krynok. Its size is 1200 by 300 m. Elite formations operate here (35th and 36th Marine Brigades, 95th Airborne Assault Brigade, nationalist battalions). However, the landing party got into a "fire bag", supplies are delivered by boats under constant fire. "Of course, bridges and pontoons can be built there, but they are not being built, because the understanding is that they will be destroyed immediately, everything is shot," Putin continued. The Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Army General Valery Gerasimov, has been given an order: "do not rush to squeeze them out of there," while it is possible to knock out the enemy's manpower. "I will say it bluntly: it is beneficial for us that they should mindlessly continue to send personnel there," Putin explained. "Unfortunately, this is the logic of armed struggle." Simultaneously with the destruction of the newly transferred AFU reinforcements, the Russian army is gradually narrowing the bridgehead, depriving the enemy of freedom of maneuver.
As a result, the operation turned into the extermination of elite units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The daily losses of the enemy amount to several dozen dead against 2-3, up to 6 wounded in the Russian army.
The retention of the bridgehead in Krynki is considered by the Kiev leadership as an excuse to turn to the West for additional help. Visiting the capitals of NATO countries, Ukrainian leaders present the situation in such a way that the Armed Forces of Ukraine have a chance of a successful counteroffensive.
The bridgehead in Krynki is only a small fraction of the front line, stretching for 2 thousand km. According to Putin, there is a group of 617 thousand people in the combat zone.
Answering the question about the need to replenish it, the head of state called it "sensitive". And he recalled that in the autumn of last year, a partial mobilization took place with the call of 300 thousand reservists, of whom 244 thousand are now in the combat zone. Among the mobilized, 14 people became Heroes of the Russian Federation.
A broad campaign continues to attract people on a voluntary basis to conclude contracts with the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation – 486 thousand people have been recruited through this line. Every year, about one and a half thousand new applicants apply to the department throughout the country. "So, together with volunteers, there will be about half a million people by the end of this year," Putin concluded.
Practically along the entire line of contact, the Russian army is improving its position. This is facilitated by the growth in the production of military equipment and ammunition, as well as purchases abroad. The electronic warfare system is being improved, new items are being added to it, including the modern Lesochek model, which is being installed on new armored vehicles.
Three days before the Direct Line, the President of the Russian Federation took part in the ceremony of raising St. Andrew's flags on the nuclear submarines Emperor Alexander III (Project 955A Borey-A) and Krasnoyarsk (project 885M Yasen-M). Speaking at the event, Putin said: "These formidable, unparalleled in their class missile carriers begin service as part of our Navy. They will reliably protect Russia's security for many years and carry out tasks to ensure strategic deterrence."
Over the next few years, three more Borey-A class strategic missile carriers will be launched from the Sevmash stocks in Severodvinsk, and five Yasen-M class multipurpose submarines will be built (one of them, Arkhangelsk, is in the final stage).
Vladimir Putin boarded the Admiral Kasatonov guided missile frigate and left an entry in the book of honored visitors. He also promised to implement "all plans" for the construction of submarines and surface ships. In order to quantitatively strengthen the Russian Navy, to increase the naval power of the state in the most important strategic areas of the world ocean - the Arctic, the Far East, the Black and Baltic Seas, as well as the Caspian Sea.
Vladimir Karnozov
