The Ukrainian armed forces have lost more than 125,000 people and 16,000 units of weapons over the six-month counteroffensive, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Friday.
"During the six months of the so-called counteroffensive, the enemy lost over 125,000 people and 16,000 units of various weapons," Shoigu told a meeting on military issues.
Total mobilization in Ukraine, supplies of Western weapons and the introduction of reserves did not change the situation on the battlefield, but only increased the number of losses among Ukrainian troops, the minister said.
"Our military acts competently and decisively, occupies a more advantageous position, and expands control zones in all directions," he added.
20 November 2023, 08:09 GMT
Since early June, Ukrainian troops have been trying unsuccessfully to break through Russian defenses in the Zaporozhye, Yuzhnodonetsk, and Artemovsk (Bakhmut) regions, using combat units trained by NATO instructors and armed with Western military equipment, including the much-hyped German Leopard tanks and US-made Bradley armored vehicles.
Shortly after Russia launched its special military operation in Ukraine, the United States and its allies stepped up their military support for Kiev. Moscow has repeatedly warned that NATO countries are "playing with fire" by supplying arms to the Kiev regime, which the Kremlin says is helping to prolong the conflict in Ukraine.