According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Ukraine reportedly suffered significant losses in their counteroffensive, with over 26,000 soldiers and 3,000 units of weaponry being reportedly lost after more than a month of intense fighting.
On July 11, Russian Defense Minister General Sergey Shoigu made an announcement regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. He claimed that Ukraine had exaggerated and intensified their counter-offensive campaign, attracting significant global attention leading up to the NATO summit in Vilnius on July 11th. However, the specific details of what Ukraine offered at the summit were not mentioned.
According to General Shoigu, the Russian military stated that they had inflicted substantial losses on the Ukrainian forces. They claimed to have destroyed over 26,000 Ukrainian soldiers and approximately 3,000 pieces of weaponry since June 4th. Among the destroyed equipment were more than 1,200 Ukrainian tanks, including notable models such as 17 Leopard 2 main battle tanks (manufactured in Germany), 12 M2 Bradley armored vehicles (made in the USA), and 5 AMX-10 RC tanks (known as the “wheel tank” and produced in France).
Furthermore, Ukrainian forces reportedly lost 403 howitzers and mortars, including 43 M777 guns and 46 self-propelled artillery systems, which were manufactured by the US, France, and Poland. In addition, two anti-aircraft missile systems, 21 military aircraft, 5 helicopters, and various other motorized vehicles were also claimed to have been destroyed.
It is important to note that this information is attributed to the statement made by Russian Defense Minister General Sergey Shoigu on July 11th and should be considered from that perspective.
According to General Sergey Shoigu, the Russian Defense Minister, Russian air defenses successfully intercepted and brought down a significant number of enemy projectiles. He claimed that a total of 176 HIMARS rockets, 27 Storm Shadow/SCALP EG cruise missiles, and 483 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were shot down. General Shoigu emphasized that the enemy failed to accomplish their objectives in any direction of the conflict.
General Shoigu announced that “Russian units are launching an offensive and advancing 1.5 km along the front lines” near the city of Lyman in the Donetsk region. “The enemy continued to try to break through our lines in various places over the past two days,” General Shoigu said.
General Sergey Shoigu stated that US intelligence agencies and NATO member states are closely observing and analyzing the defensive efforts of the Russian military against Ukrainian forces involved in the counterattack. According to Shoigu, these entities have acknowledged the effectiveness of the defense lines established by Russia, including the strategic implementation of minefields, as well as the successful coordination of ground forces and air support in executing preemptive strikes.
Since the beginning of June, Ukraine has launched a counterattack, deploying numerous brigades trained by NATO and equipped with Western weaponry. Ukraine has claimed “partial success” in their counteroffensive, asserting that their forces are making daily advancements and reclaiming control over several villages. Andriy Kovalyov, spokesperson for Ukraine’s Defense Ministry, announced on July 10 that they had gained an additional 14 square kilometers of territory in the eastern and southern regions. This brings the total area reclaimed during the counterattacks to nearly 200 square kilometers after more than a month of engagement.
Despite Ukraine’s counter-offensive efforts, they have suffered significant losses in terms of heavy combat vehicles, including the Leopard 2 main battle tanks and Bradley armored vehicles. Ukrainian officials attribute these setbacks to Russia’s strategically placed minefields, air superiority, and adverse weather conditions. The Ukrainian government has been cautious in releasing information about the casualties sustained by their forces during the conflict.
Acknowledging the slower progress of the counter-offensive operation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky affirmed that the country’s forces remain actively engaged. Zelensky also expressed the view that if Western countries had provided military assistance earlier, Ukraine could have initiated counterattacks before Russia fortified its defenses and deployed minefields. He highlighted that in certain areas, the Ukrainian army has been unable to mount effective counterattacks due to the lack of suitable weaponry.
In summary, the Ukrainian military has faced difficulties and incurred losses in heavy combat vehicles, and President Zelensky emphasized the need for timely Western support to strengthen Ukraine’s capacity to counter Russian aggression.
