Ukraine 'decision-making center' struck as heavy losses continue: MoD

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
17 Jun 2023 17:25

Russia's Defense Ministry says it was able to repel ongoing waves of Ukrainian attacks in three directions over the past 24 hours.

A Russian serviceman guards in Melitopol, Zaporozhye region, on July 14, 2022 (AFP)

A Russian missile strike on Friday hit a command center of the Ukrainian military, Russia’s Defense Ministry has said.

Russian forces “carried out a group strike with sea and air-based long-range precision weapons against one of the decision-making centers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces,” the Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

“The aim of the strike was achieved. The intended facility was hit,” it added, without providing further details.

The Russian Defense Ministry has also published a short video of a missile being fired by a warship as part of what it said was the strike on a Ukrainian “decision-making center".

Ukraine suffered major losses in manpower in a failed attempt to advance on three frontlines in the past 24 hours as part of the "counteroffensive" campaign launched earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Saturday.

The Ukrainian army lost around 600 servicemembers during an offensive that aimed to break lines of Russian defenses in the directions of South Donetsk, Zaporozhye, and Donetsk during that period, the Ministry added.

Three attacks were repelled by Russian forces in the Vremivka ledge area, killing almost 30 Ukrainian military personnel, two tanks, and two infantry military vehicles, the statement continued.

On the Zaporozhye front, Russia repelled three attacks, destroying five armored fighting vehicles near the village of Stepove.

"The total losses of [the Ukrainian armed forces] in these directions over the past day amounted to more than 235 Ukrainian servicepeople, four tanks, two infantry fighting vehicles, 14 armored combat vehicles, a US-made M777artillery system, as well as a D-20 howitzer," the statement read

The largest wave of Ukrainian attacks was witnessed in the Donetsk direction, where Ukraine's army launched seven offenses.

Russian forces managed to kill up to 340 soldiers and destroy two D-30 howitzers, two armored fighting vehicles, one infantry vehicle, and five other military vehicles, as per the Defense Ministry.

Proving difficult

Ukraine has been hyping its counteroffensive attack, since last year. Although the attack was intended for spring, it was moved to the summer after Ukraine blamed the delay on a lack of weapons.

The West has been urged to deliver progressively heavier weapons, including tanks, drones, and fighter planes.

Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters last week that the Ukrainian "counteroffensive" in the special military operation zone has begun and that Kiev is resorting to its strategic reserves.

In a report published on Friday, The Wall Street Journal said Ukraine's ambitious counteroffensive against Russia is proving to be quite a difficult task. The frontline is laden with mines and Russia's advanced defense systems, combined with the lack of air cover on Ukraine's end, have hampered Kiev's effort to take back any land.