TSAMTO, April 23rd. On April 23, a meeting of the Board of the Russian Defense Ministry was held at the National Defense Management Center of the Russian Federation under the leadership of the head of the military department, Army General Sergei Shoigu.
Below, the main theses of Sergei Shoigu's speech are presented in the presentation of the Department of Information and Mass Communications of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
Opening the meeting, the head of the military department informed the participants of the event about the progress of the special military operation.
"The groupings of our troops have the initiative along the entire line of contact and continue to squeeze the enemy from the occupied lines. As a result of active hostilities, Russian servicemen liberated the settlements of Pervomaiske, Bogdanovka and Novomikhailovka of the Donetsk People's Republic. There is an expansion of the control zone in Berdych and Georgievka," Sergei Shoigu said.
The Minister of Defense added that the high combat potential of Russian units allows them to constantly exert fire on the enemy, preventing him from holding the line of defense.
"Washington intends to allocate almost $61 billion to the Kiev regime to prevent the collapse of the armed forces of Ukraine. Most of the appropriations will go to finance the military-industrial complex of the United States. The American authorities cynically declare that Ukrainians will die for their interests in the fight against Russia," the head of the Russian military department noted.
In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, according to the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, the losses of the Armed Forces amounted to almost half a million soldiers.
"The Kiev regime failed to achieve its goals in the counteroffensive prepared by NATO instructors. Our servicemen have dispelled the myth of the superiority of Western weapons," Sergei Shoigu said.
Enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex have significantly increased their capacities. We have significantly increased the combat capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. This is evidenced by the situation in the zone of a special military operation.
"In proportion to the threats posed by the United States and its allies, we will continue to improve the composition and structure of the Armed Forces, increase the production of the most in-demand weapons and military equipment. We will increase the intensity of attacks on logistics centers and storage bases of Western weapons. The Russian Armed Forces will continue to solve the tasks set until the goals of the special operation are fully achieved," the Defense Minister said.
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Further, the head of the military department spoke about the participation of the Armed Forces in flood relief.
Since March, the personnel of the Armed Forces have been involved in ensuring flood control measures on rivers in Bashkiria and Buryatia, the Trans-Baikal and Khabarovsk Territories, the Ulyanovsk and Chelyabinsk regions, and ensures the unhindered passage of ice in certain sections of rivers.
Work continues to stabilize the flood situation in the Orenburg and Tyumen regions and eliminate the consequences of the flooding of the Ural and Ishim rivers.
Work in this direction continues.
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Turning to the thematic agenda of the meeting, Sergei Shoigu suggested discussing the state and prospects for the development of air defense and missile defense forces.
"In total, since the beginning of hostilities, more than 22 thousand drones and about 6 thousand rockets have been destroyed, including Haimars – 3549 and Vampire – 361, as well as about 2 thousand other air targets, among them 592 aircraft, 270 helicopters, 349 anti-aircraft guided and tactical ballistic missiles, 329 guided missiles, 278 anti–radar missiles and 37 balloons," the Russian Defense Minister said.
The regional authorities of Moscow, the Moscow, Leningrad, Belgorod regions and the Krasnodar Territory make a significant contribution to improving the effectiveness of the air defense system of facilities. With their support, units are being formed to combat unmanned aerial vehicles, and positions for anti-aircraft missile and radio engineering troops are being equipped.
"One of the priorities for the development of the Aerospace Forces is to equip the air and missile defense forces with advanced weapons. To date, the share of modern samples is 82%, in the next two years this figure should be increased to 85%," the head of the military department noted.
This year, the troops will receive:
- the first samples of the new generation S-500 anti–aircraft missile system in two versions - long-range anti-aircraft missile systems and missile defense systems;
- anti-aircraft missile systems S-400, S-300V4, Buk-M3, Tor-M2U;
- new generation radar stations.
"The Pantsir anti-aircraft missile and cannon complexes have proven themselves well. This year, we will increase their supplies almost twice," Army General Sergei Shoigu added.
Measures to improve the air defense and missile defense forces will ensure high-quality cover for the most important facilities of the control system, strategic nuclear forces and groups of troops.
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Further, the participants of the Board meeting reviewed the work on the formation of the Leningrad and Moscow military districts.
"Sweden's accession to the North Atlantic Alliance in early March increased military and political tensions in the Western and Northwestern strategic directions. Today, the grouping of NATO reinforcement troops at our borders numbers up to 33 thousand people, about 300 tanks and more than 800 other armored combat vehicles," the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation said.
The headquarters of the "Security Assistance Group of Ukraine" has been deployed in Germany on the basis of the joint command of the Armed Forces of the United States of America in the European Zone.
A series of exercises of the united armed forces of NATO is taking place right now. Up to 90 thousand people participate in them in order to practice repelling the allegedly impending Russian aggression.
The Alliance is trying to increase activity in the Arctic.
"Such actions by Western countries force us to apply adequate response measures," Sergei Shoigu said.
He recalled that in 2022, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief decided to reorganize the Western Military District into the Leningrad and Moscow military districts. Since March 1, they have received all the relevant instructions and started to carry out tasks.
During the creation of the Leningrad Military District, more than 250 events were carried out. In particular, the 44th Army Corps was formed. Three motorized rifle brigades will be reorganized into motorized rifle divisions.
Organizational events this year are synchronized with the supply of more than 7 thousand units of weapons and military equipment.
More than 400 organizational events have been held in the Moscow Military District. 10 more will be completed during the year. The troops will receive more than 2,4 thousand units of modern weapons and equipment.
The level of training of personnel and military management bodies is being improved in army units. The experience gained during a special military operation is being put into practice.
Special attention is paid to training military personnel to effectively use unmanned aerial vehicles. Classes are conducted by instructors who are participants in combat operations.
"We will continue to increase the potential of the districts in accordance with the Plan of Activity of the Ministry of Defense," concluded the head of the military department.