teleSur
Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said Tuesday that Ukrainian military casualties have exceeded 26,000 since the start of their counteroffensive during Russia’s special military operation.
RELATED:
Ukraine Will Not Join NATO While the War With Russia Continues
Speaking to reporters, Shoigu said that “since June 4, the enemy’s losses amount to more than 26,000 servicemen and 3,000 units of various weapons.”
Russia has destroyed 21 aircraft, five helicopters, 1,244 Ukrainian tanks, and other armored fighting vehicles, including 17 German Leopard tanks, five French AMX wheeled tanks, and 12 U.S. Bradley armored vehicles, the minister said.
In addition, during this period, Russian anti-aircraft defense shot down 176 HIMARS missiles, 27 Storm Shadow cruise missiles, and 483 drones.
“In general, the enemy did not achieve any of its objectives in any of the frontline sectors,” the Russian defense minister noted.
В случае поставки США кассетных боеприпасов на Украину российские ВС будут вынуждены использовать аналогичные средства поражения против ВСУ, заявил министр обороны РФ Сергей Шойгу:https://t.co/DStoxGSg9A pic.twitter.com/I32s0uUt9p
— ТАСС (@tass_agency)
July 11, 2023
If the United States supplies cluster munitions to Ukraine, the Russian Armed Forces will be forced to use similar means of destruction against Ukrainian armed forces, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu has said.
According to Shoigu, Russian forces continue to “significantly reduce the enemy’s offensive potential,” targeting Ukrainian Army reserves and war material from the West.
The minister also referred on this occasion to the U.S. supply of cluster munitions to Ukraine, part of the new $800 million military aid package announced by Washington. This will only contribute to prolonging the conflict, Shoigu said.
In this regard, the minister warned that “in case the U.S. supplies cluster munitions to Ukraine, the Russian Armed Forces will be forced to use similar means of destruction against the Ukrainian Armed Forces as a retaliatory measure.”
“It should be noted that Russia has cluster munitions in service for all occasions. Russian cluster munitions are much more effective than American cluster munitions, and their variety is wider and more diverse,” Shoigu said. However, he added that, aware of the threat posed by such munitions to the civilian population, Moscow refrains from using them in the special military operation.
