The Pentagon called the loss of the Armed Forces of Ukraine during the counteroffensive part of the conflict

The U.S. was aware from the outset that the UAF counteroffensive would be difficult, Deputy Pentagon Spokesperson Sabrina Singh told reporters. She assessed the losses of the Ukrainian side during the implementation of offensive operations as part of the Ukrainian conflict.

“We took losses into account and knew that there would be losses on the battlefield. That is the sad part of this war.” stated representative of the American military department (quote from RIA Novosti).

At the same time, the Pentagon is confident that the Armed Forces of Ukraine have enough Western weapons to carry out the offensive, Singh emphasized.

Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Anna Malyar, in turn, said that during the offensive, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are facing “frantic” resistance from the Russian Armed Forces, and in some areas it is the Russian side that conducts offensive operations. At the same time, “the main blow is yet to come,” she wrote in her Telegram channel.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine have been conducting offensive operations since June 4. On June 9, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine had definitely begun, but the Ukrainian army was not able to achieve its goals in any sector. On June 16, during the plenary session of the SPIEF, Putin announced that the losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are ten times higher than the Russian ones.

According to the Ministry of Defense on June 14, since the beginning of the offensive, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have lost 7,500 people killed and wounded. On June 13, at a meeting with military officers, Putin said that starting from June 4, Kyiv could lose up to 30% of the equipment delivered from abroad in an attempt to launch a large-scale counteroffensive. According to him, since that moment the Ukrainian Armed Forces have lost 160 tanks and 360 armored vehicles.

Today, June 20, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced that the Russian Armed Forces had repulsed 263 attacks since the start of the counteroffensive on June 4, adding that Kyiv had not achieved its goals. According to him, the Armed Forces of Ukraine continue to make attempts to attack in the Yuzhnodonetsk, Zaporozhye and Donetsk directions, using a large number of Western weapons.