Russian President Vladimir Putin has put a tough quantity on the variety of his tanks knocked out within the Ukrainian counteroffensive up to now, a uncommon admission of loss however one he countered with claims Ukraine had misplaced many occasions extra.
Professional-Kremlin journalists and battle bloggers had an intimate private briefing by Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, which stood out for Western observers maybe much less for its dialogue of social advantages for Russian servicemen or grain exports and extra for what may very well be a frank admission of navy losses. In feedback made earlier than cameras and even repeated on Russian state media, Putin stated the nation had misplaced 54 tanks within the Ukrainian counteroffensive.
Whether or not that is the ‘propaganda quantity‘ or the reality is, for now, arduous to know. Ukraine claims to have destroyed 3,829 Russian tanks for the reason that begin of the battle, and 106 since the beginning of the counteroffensive final week. Ukrainian authorities figures additionally declare 140 destroyed non-tank Russian armoured autos in that interval.
Whether or not Russia has misplaced 54 or 106 tanks in ten days, Putin’s admission of loss stays hanging in comparison with the alarmed dialogue over the comparatively small variety of Western tanks misplaced by Ukraine in the midst of that very same counteroffensive. The brand new battle, which has been ongoing for round ten days and in keeping with Western evaluation remains to be within the probing stage forward of the complete assault, could have seen Ukraine lose 4 Leopard 2 fundamental battle tanks in addition to a number of Bradley armoured preventing autos.
Russia Boasts it Has Captured Knocked-Out American, German-Made Armour as ‘Our Trophies’ https://t.co/WO1mzrgwGb
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) June 14, 2023
The tank, the tank, the tank is on hearth
We do not want no water, let the russian tank burn.
???? ???? ???????? 14th Mechanized Brigade pic.twitter.com/lZxzemGTXO
— Protection of Ukraine (@DefenceU) March 26, 2023
Putin inserting a tough variety of 54 tanks — even when he additionally stated that a few of these may very well be restored and repaired — is uncommon given it comes from a norm the place the Kremlin solely usually makes claims about enemy losses. With this in thoughts, it’s not shocking that Putin appended his feedback on Russian losses of armour with — in all probability inflated — assertions in regards to the variety of Ukrainian tanks his forces had destroyed.
In comparison with his 54, Ukraine had misplaced 150 tanks and 350 different armoured autos within the ten days of the counteroffensive, Putin claimed, persevering with to claim this implies Ukraine would have misplaced “about 25%, possibly 30% of all of the autos that have been supplied [to Ukraine] from overseas.”
Underlining his claims, the Russian chief employed some descriptive language, telling the assembled: “The enemy hasn’t had success in any of the areas. They’ve giant losses”, and “They burn properly, as we anticipated, be it Bradleys or Leopards, sure… Ammunition detonates inside, and items fly off in several instructions”.
Emphasising the destruction of Western armour, the place it occurs, seems to be a excessive precedence for Russian info output. Putin’s remarks adopted by simply hours the publication of footage by the Russian Ministry of Defence purporting to indicate a gaggle of broken and deserted armoured autos of the Ukrainian military.
Russia claimed it had “seized” the Leopard 2 tanks and Bradley armoured autos, boasting they weren’t “our trophies”.
Counteroffensive: Western Tanks Struggle Russians For First Time, One German Leopard Misplaced, Reviews Declare https://t.co/z1UiI3sBwG
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) June 9, 2023
