Kiev forces have lost more than 43,000 servicemen and some 5,000 pieces of equipment over two months since the beginning of the so-called counteroffensive in June, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.
The losses do not include the number of wounded servicemen and foreign mercenaries evacuated to hospitals in and outside of Ukraine or the servicemen eliminated in rear areas in strikes by long-range precision weapons.
“Enemy equipment losses on the frontline amounted to more than 4,900 pieces including 26 aircraft, nine helicopters, 1,831 tanks and armored fighting vehicles, 25 German “Leopard” tanks, seven French AMX wheeled tanks and 21 US-made “Bradly” infantry fighting vehicles,” the Defense Ministry said.
The Ukrainian army also lost 747 field artillery pieces and mortars including 76 US-made M777 pieces and 84 self-propelled howitzers supplied by Poland, the USA, France and Germany.
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The Ukrainian government launched the so-called anti-terrorist operation against Donbass in April 2014. The peace talks failed to reach tangible results due to Kiev’s position to settle the conflict by force.
President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation on February 24, 2022 to protect Donbass residents from Ukrainian aggression. Prior to that, LPR and DPR Heads Leonid Pasechnik and Denis Pushilin asked the Russian leader to provide military assistance. *i*ie
