Shoigu reported to Putin on the progress of the special operation. Main

On June 22, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting with the permanent members of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, during which Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu made a report on the progress of the special operation in Ukraine.

“After almost 16 days of active hostilities, having suffered significant losses, the enemy reduced its activity. At present [он] engaged in the regrouping and re-staffing of troops. Gathers from disparate parts of the battalions those forces that could continue to lead the offensive. It’s in the same direction,” he said.

Forces for conducting further offensive operations “in other directions” in Ukraine still remain, despite the large number of losses both in equipment and in personnel, Shoigu noted. In addition, “in some areas” there are attempts to evacuate destroyed and damaged equipment, he said.

At the same time, according to the minister, Ukrainian troops have now reduced their activity as part of the counteroffensive and are regrouping troops. “Of course, preparations are underway for further offensive actions. On our part, including,” the head of the Ministry of Defense said.

Shoigu said that Western countries plan to supply additional weapons to Ukraine in 2023. In particular, these are 250 tanks, including about 120 German Leopards, 31 American Abrams and “the remnants that they have collected around the world, these are 95 T-72 tanks,” he said.

“Armored combat vehicles – 983 units are planned for delivery this year, of which 740 are Western-made. Artillery systems of 155 mm caliber, they are supposed to be delivered in 2023. 273 units, which is more than two times less than it was delivered before,” the minister said.

According to him, the amount of equipment already delivered and planned for delivery will not significantly affect the course of hostilities. The bulk of the enemy’s armored vehicles belong to the past and the generation before last and have a weak degree of protection, the minister said.

Shoigu noted that Russia is actively forming reserves of both military equipment and personnel.

“Today, if we talk about the formation of reserves under the contract, as of this morning, 114,000 people have been recruited, this is through direct contact, and plus 52,000 are volunteers,” he said.

1336 people enter the contract per day, and the Russian army “receives a regiment” every day, he specified. Shoigu noted the “highest motivation” of the volunteers. According to him, they are “rushing into battle.”

The number of volunteer formations that have signed contracts with the Ministry of Defense has already exceeded 20, reported June 22 in the Ministry’s Telegram channel.

“As part of the implementation of the order of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation on determining the procedure for organizing the service activities of volunteer organizations, more than 20 formations of the volunteer corps signed contracts with the Russian military department,” the report says.

Shoigu also reported to the President on the formation of the reserve army. According to him, it will be created by the end of June, and an army corps will also be formed in the near future – they will receive over 3,700 pieces of equipment.

“We are forming reserves as part of the army corps, the army. Plus, five regiments of the 20th tank army. Everything is going according to plan. In fact, by the end of June, we will complete the formation of the reserve army and in the near future we will complete the formation of the army corps,” he said.

Secretary of the Security Council Mykola Patrushev during the meeting noted that the losses of Ukrainian army personnel during the counteroffensive launched on June 4 exceeded 13,000 people. According to him, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) also lost 246 tanks.

The President asked Shoigu whether he confirmed Patrushev’s data. In response, the minister said that information about the Armed Forces of Ukraine was mainly obtained from radio intercepts of the conversations of Ukrainian commanders.

“We must proceed from the fact that the offensive potential of the enemy has not been exhausted. A number of strategic reserves have not yet been activated, and I ask you to keep this in mind when organizing combat work. We need to proceed from the realities,” Putin said.

According to the head of state, Western countries can still supply the equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, but the mobilization reserve is not unlimited.