Russian Armed Forces Fulfill Main Goal of 2023 by Foiling Ukrainian Counteroffensive - Shoigu
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Russian armed forces have fulfilled the main goal of 2023 by thwarting Ukraine's counteroffensive, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Tuesday.
Earlier Shoigu said that the Ukrainian armed forces have lost more than 125,000 people and 16,000 units of weapons over the six-month counteroffensive.
"The main efforts of the outgoing year were focused on achieving the goals of the special military operation. The main one was to disrupt the counteroffensive of the Ukrainian armed forces loudly proclaimed by Ukraine and its NATO allies. This task was successfully accomplished," Shoigu stressed.
He added that Russian President Vladimir Putin had praised the work of the leadership and personnel of the country's defense ministry and thanked them for conscientiously fulfilling the assigned tasks.
Shoigu also said that the Russian military was taking more and more advantageous positions and expanding controlled territories in all directions in the special military operation zone.
"The Russian army is constantly taking more favorable positions and expanding controlled territories in all directions. We are consistently moving towards achieving the stated goals of the special operation," he said.
