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Russia’s protection minister claimed on Thursday that the nation’s military was capable of fend off Ukraine’s counteroffensive, echoing a sentiment that has turn into pervasive amongst some Russian commentators — though the notion was met with some pushback, together with from President Vladimir V. Putin.
The protection minister, Sergei Ok. Shoigu, advised Mr. Putin at a gathering of the nation’s Safety Council that the Russian Military had efficiently thwarted the preliminary wave of the Ukrainian counteroffensive. Mr. Shoigu additionally projected confidence that Moscow’s forces would be capable of face up to additional assaults whilst Western allies ship extra weapons to Ukraine and as analysts say the primary thrust of Kyiv’s counteroffensive continues to be to return.
“From our aspect, we’re preparing, too,” Mr. Shoigu stated on the assembly, which was broadcast on Russian state tv.
Nikolai P. Patrushev, the Safety Council’s secretary, additionally repeated latest claims by Russia that its military had destroyed dozens of tanks, armored autos and different army gear in Ukraine, together with no less than 13 tanks equipped by the West. Mr. Patrushev’s particular claims couldn’t be verified, however pictures and movies posted by pro-war Russian bloggers, and verified by The Occasions, present that Ukraine misplaced or deserted a number of Western-supplied tanks and armored autos within the preliminary days of the offensive early this month.
Nonetheless, Mr. Putin appeared to mood the optimistic assessments throughout the assembly. The Russian chief stated that “the enemy’s offensive potential has not been depleted, and quite a few strategic reserves haven’t been used.”
“I’d urge you to take that under consideration,” Mr. Putin advised Mr. Shoigu and different senior Russian officers. “We have to proceed from the actual scenario.”
The remarks echoed these Mr. Putin made a day earlier, when he stated that Russia would nonetheless prevail, underscoring his obvious perception that Russia had the assets to outlast and exhaust Ukraine and the West.
Mr. Shoigu stated that Moscow’s efforts to recruit extra contract troopers and volunteers had resulted in over 160,000 new service members, though he didn’t specify the timeframe. He stated that Russia would kind a brand new reserve military by the top of this month. The Russian Military has misplaced hundreds of fighters in battles like these for the japanese Ukrainian metropolis of Bakhmut.
Ukraine’s counteroffensive has claimed a handful of villages however not produced swift breakthroughs in opposition to Russia’s closely fortified strains, a tempo that Ukraine and Western army analysts say isn’t a surprise, particularly with Kyiv having but to pour most of its newly educated and geared up forces into the battle.
However Russian officers have sought to mission confidence. Mr. Putin, who not often spoke concerning the combating within the early months of the conflict, has addressed it publicly 5 instances this month, usually emphasizing what he says is Ukraine’s failure to realize its targets.
Following his lead, Russia’s state-run tv channels have grown extra assertive in latest weeks, repeating the message that the nation’s troops can face up to additional Ukrainian assaults. Many professional-war Russian activists had feared that the counteroffensive would result in a repeat of the Russian retreats close to the cities of Kharkiv and Kherson final fall.
However dissenters have additionally emerged. Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, the pinnacle of the Wagner paramilitary group that spearheaded Russia’s effort to seize the japanese metropolis Bakhmut in Might, claimed on Thursday that the scenario on the battlefield was a lot worse for Russia.
“What we’re being advised about Ukraine’s counteroffensive isn’t true,” Mr. Prigozhin stated in a voice message revealed by his press service, including: “They’ve captured important territories that we’ve misplaced.”
He additionally repeated his frequent criticism of Russian army officers, saying: “What the president will get on his desk is a complete lie.”
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