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More than 10,000 Russian service members have been paid awards for destroying or capturing military equipment since the launch of the special military operation in Ukraine, the Russian Defense Ministry announced on June 16.
“Since the special military operation was launched, more than 10,000 service members of Russia’s Armed Forces have received special [award] payments for personally destroying or capturing enemy military equipment,” the ministry said in a statement.
According to the ministry, 7,064 Russian service members were awarded payments for destroying 11,586 pieces of Ukrainian military equipment and weaponry last year.
This year so far, payments to military pilots and air defense operators for downing 45 Ukrainian helicopters and 71 fighter jets have amounted to 300,000 rubles [$3,577] for each hit. The ministry said in its statement that the same amount was paid in each case for the interception of 15 Tochka-U ballistic missiles or HIMARS precision-guided rockets.
Personnel of Russia’s Ground and Airborne Forces, as well as Naval Infantry units, including artillery crews, also received 100,000 rubles [$1,193] each for every Ukrainian main battle tank they destroyed.
In addition, rewards of 50,000 rubles [$596] were made in each case for destroying 1,501 armored combat vehicles, 203 self-propelled gun mounts, and 85 multiple rocket launchers.
A similar reward was paid in each case to all personnel of the Russian Army who intercepted one of the 941 Tochka-U, Olkha, Smerch, Uragan or HIMARS projectiles, or destroyed one of the 1,211 downed Ukrainian drones, the ministry clarified.
The ministry added that members of the Russian Navy who repelled attacks by six Ukrainian unmanned suicide boats against Russian warships and civil infrastructure in Crimea, received 200,000 rubles [$2,386] each.
With regard to the recent battles in the Zaporozhye and south Donetsk sectors, the ministry said that award payments are currently being appropriated for service members who destroyed German-made Leopard 2 main battle tanks or American-made Bradley infantry fighting vehicles.
Kiev forces launched their so-called spring counteroffensive on June 4. Since then, they have suffered heavy losses and made very little gains on the ground.
Some new videos from the special military operation zone documented some of Kiev forces recent material and human losses in the Zaporozhye and south Donetsk sectors.
Other videos showed the destruction of a Ukrainian T-64 and T-80 main battle tanks as well as two howitzers, one of which was an American-made M777, in Zaporozhye, Donetsk and Kherson. The equipment was targeted with artillery fire and drones.
In addition, the Russian military targeted and destroyed a large ammunition depot of Kiev forces located across the Dnieper River in Kherson.
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Despite the heavy losses, the Ukrainian counteroffensive will not likely end soon. Kiev forces are launching small attacks on a daily basis across the front from Zaporozhye to Donetsk. A large-scale attempt to breakthrough Russian defensives is to be expected.
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