Ukraine lost 20,824 soldiers and 2,227 pieces of military equipment during battles in July, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Monday.
"Over the past month, as a result of the successful activities of our troops, the losses of the enemy amounted to more than 20,800 servicemen, to be exact, 20,824 people, and 2,227 pieces of various weapons," Shoigu told military officials, adding that Kiev lost 10 Leopard tanks.
He specified that among the equipment lost by Kiev were 10 Leopard tanks, 11 US Bradley BMPs, 40 US M777 artillery systems and 50 self-propelled artillery systems from Britain, the US, Germany, France and Poland.
"It is obvious that the supplied Western weapons do not lead to successes on the battlefield, but only prolong the military conflict," the minister added.
Russian armed forces are active in all directions in the area of the special military operation in Ukraine, focusing on weakening combat capabilities of Ukraine, Shoigu said.
"The joint group of forces is continuing to conduct active operations in all directions, focusing on weakening combat capabilities of the enemy," the minister said at a meeting with the defense ministry's leadership.
The Ukrainian troops lost 400 soldiers and 63 pieces of equipment in the Orekhove direction on July 26-27, Sergei Shoigu said.
Shoigu mentioned that Russia thwarted Ukraine’s large-scale attempt to break through defense lines in this direction.
"Only in two days, July 26-27, in the area of the village of Rabotyne, more than 400 Ukrainian military personnel, 31 tanks, including three German Leopards, two French [tanks], and 32 armored combat vehicles were destroyed. A total of 63 armored vehicles [were destroyed]," Shoigu said at a defense meeting.