Vladimir Putin announced the failure of the counter-offensive of the Ukrainian army

Russian President Vladimir Putin, at a meeting with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko, said that the counter-offensive of Ukraine had failed, transmits “RIA News”. On July 23, Putin and Lukashenko met at the Konstantinovsky Palace in Strelna.

“There is no counteroffensive,” Lukashenka said during the meeting.

Putin replied: “It exists, but it failed.”

Putin during the meeting declaredthat over the past 24 hours, a record number of equipment that foreign states supplied to Ukraine was destroyed in the special operation zone. According to Lukashenka, more than 15 Leopard tanks and over 20 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles were destroyed in one battle. “Foreigners, perhaps, so many were not destroyed in one day,” Putin said (quoted by RIA Novosti).

Lukashenka also cited US data on the loss of personnel of the Ukrainian troops – 26,000 people. “More, already more” – noted Russian President.

He also touched upon the topic of mercenaries who participate in hostilities on the side of Kyiv. They, according to Putin, suffer significant losses “because of their stupidity.”

“In any case, the public of the countries whose governments send people to the war zone, the public of these countries should also know what is happening there. And we will bring this to the attention of the people so that they evaluate the actions of their rulers,” said He.

Meeting of the Presidents earlier announced in the Kremlin. It was reported that the parties will discuss “topical issues of further development of Russian-Belarusian relations of strategic partnership and alliance, as well as integration cooperation within the framework of the Union State.”

The Armed Forces of Ukraine began active offensive operations on June 4. On June 9, Putin said that the counter-offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine had definitely begun, but the Ukrainian army was not able to achieve its goals in any sector. June 16 during the plenary session SPIEF he said that the losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are ten times higher than the Russian ones.

According to the Ministry of Defense, which was cited by Minister Sergei Shoigu in July, since the start of the counteroffensive, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have lost more than 26,000 people.

July 21 Putin declaredthat Kyiv cannot achieve any results in a counteroffensive, neither Western-supplied equipment nor thousands of foreign mercenaries help it in this. According to him, “during suicidal attacks” Ukraine lost tens of thousands of soldiers. As a result, the mobilization resource has been almost completely exhausted in the country. “People in Ukraine increasingly have a legitimate question: for what, for whose selfish interests are their relatives and friends dying? Gradually, slowly sobering up comes,” he said.

On the same day, Assistant to the President of the United States for National Security Jake Sullivan declaredthat Ukraine suffers significant losses during the counteroffensive. According to him, it “goes hard.” In mid-July, The New York Times, citing unnamed Western officials, reported that during the first weeks of the counteroffensive, the Ukrainian Armed Forces lost up to 20% of their weapons. According to the newspaper, due to heavy losses, the Armed Forces of Ukraine were forced to change tactics, they began to use more artillery and long-range missiles. As a result, this slowed down the pace of hostilities, but the losses were reduced to 10%.

At the end of June, Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Anna Malyar said that Kyiv was facing “frantic” resistance from the Russian Armed Forces, and in some areas it was the Russian side that was conducting offensive operations.