Ukrainian forces were forced by Russian troops to give way between eight and nine kilometers in "important sections" from the territory of the hostilities in the Kharkiv region, Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov said today, quoted by Reuters and BTA.
The economist, who was appointed in the middle of this month to replace Sergei Shoigu, said that the Russian army captured more than 28 settlements in Ukraine in May, and since the beginning of the year it has conquered Ukrainian territory with a total area of 880 square kilometers.
"Russia continues its special military operation and certainly all its goals will be achieved," Belousov noted.
"The groups of the Russian army are pressuring the enemy with the positions they occupy. There is movement in all tactical directions. As a result of our active actions in important sections of the Kharkiv region, the enemy retreated between eight and nine kilometers," he explained, quoted by TASS, at the meeting of the Council of Military Ministers of the countries of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in Kazakhstan city of Almaty.
He also said that since February 2022, Western countries have provided Kyiv with miscellaneous aid totaling more than $278 billion, thereby escalating and deepening the armed conflict in Ukraine. He noted that "The West is supplying Ukraine with additional weapons, passing intelligence to it, training Ukrainian military personnel and recruiting mercenaries.
"NATO is increasing its presence in Eastern and Central Europe and increasing both its combat readiness and the size of its coalition forces. The alliance is improving its military infrastructure and developing training and intelligence activities near our borders. Everything is being done to prolong and escalate the military conflict in Ukraine," the minister said, quoted by Reuters.
In his words, NATO advisers contribute to subversive activities and the use of Western weapons against civilians on Russian territory, reports TASS.
"Literally last night, the most massive attack on the Crimean bridge was carried out - with ten ATAKMS (missiles from tactical army systems) with a flight time of just under two minutes. All missiles were shot down. As a result of these actions, we managed to save the lives of hundreds of people," Belousov said at the meeting of the Council of Ministers of Defense of the CSTO.
In all, this month the Russian military has intercepted over a thousand drones, more than 250 HIMARS mobile artillery systems and Vampire multiple-launch rocket systems, as well as 50 ATACMS missiles and 8 SCALP cruise missiles, announced the Russian Minister of Defense.