Opening address by Russian Defence Minister General of the Army Sergei Shoigu at the special teleconference

📑 Read full text

🔹 @mod_russia_en

First, about the progress of the special military operation.

The Russian troops continue to inflict effective fire damage on the enemy.

This month alone, the enemy has lost over 16,000 troops, 16 aircraft, five helicopters, 466 drones, over 400 tanks, and other armored fighting vehicles, and 238 pieces of field artillery and mortars.

In addition, 196 HIMARS rockets, 16 HARM missiles, and 29 Storm Shadow long-range cruise missiles have been intercepted and destroyed.

Despite the AFU’s significant losses, Western supervisors continue to encourage the Kiev regime to launch a large-scale offensive.

Ukraine is receiving more hardware and weapons. We monitor supply volumes and routes and strike when identified.

Large Western arms depots in Khmelnitsky, Ternopol, and Nikolayev have been destroyed in recent days, as well as U.S. Patriot anti-aircraft missile system in Kiev.

Military support provided to Ukraine only prolongs hostilities, but cannot influence the outcome of the special military operation.

Kiev authorities continue to destroy social facilities and carry out terrorist acts against Russian civilians using NATO weapons.

The Russian Armed Forces are responding as forcefully as possible to the activities of Ukrainian militants.

On 22 May 2023, more than 70 Ukrainian saboteurs, motor and armoured vehicles were neutralised during a counter-terrorist operation in Belgorod region. The nationalist remnants were pushed back into Ukrainian territory, where they were shot at.

The Kiev regime has carried out a terrorist attack in Moscow region this morning. I note, on civilian facilities.

It involved eight aircraft-type drones.

All of them have been downed.

In Moscow, three drones were suppressed by electronic warfare, lost control, and deviated from their intended targets.

Another five UAVs were shot down in the suburbs of Moscow by the Pantsir surface-to-air missile system.

***

I’d want to point out that Russian servicemen are acting selflessly and firmly during the special military operation, displaying mass heroism, perseverance, and courage.

The 155th Marine Brigade was awarded the Order of Zhukov by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

The 291st Artillery Brigade, the 55th Separate Sevastopol Helicopter Regiment decorated with the Order of Kutuzov and the 50th Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment were given the honorary titles ‘Guards’.

I’d like to specifically recognise military medics, who frequently sacrifice their lives to save our military personnel and help civilians.

More than 75% of the medical personnel have combat experience in the special military operation.

By Presidential Decree, the Vishnevsky Central Military Clinical Hospital was awarded the Order of Aleksandr Nevsky.

Congratulations to our colleagues.

Previously, the Kirov Military Medical Academy was awarded the Order of Aleksandr Nevsky.

***

Let us go further through the agenda. The first of June marks the beginning of the summer training period in the Russian Armed Forces.

It was preceded by thorough preparatory work. There were over 2,500 events.

During the training period, the primary focus will be on people and command and control bodies, as well as combat cohesion of newly established formations and units.

A variety of exercises are planned to be organised.

A joint exercise with CSTO peacekeeping forces, as well as a joint counter-terrorism exercise within the framework of ADMM Plus, will receive special emphasis.

The planned actions will assure the Armed Forces’ required degree of readiness, the completion of responsibilities to preserve national interests, and an effective response to changes in the military and political situation.

***

Next, we shall discuss the thematic part of our session.

Let us first review how the United Shipbuilding Corporation is repairing and modernising the heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Admiral Nakhimov within the framework of the state defence order.

The Corporation is building and repairing 62 ships for the Navy.

The corvette Mercury entered the service with the Navy on 13 May 2023.

Work on five submarines and six surface ships is in its final stages.

The modernisation of the missile cruiser Admiral Nakhimov involves equipping it with the latest state-of-the-art equipment, high-precision long-range weapons, including hypersonic Tsirkon missiles.

Sea trials for the ship are scheduled at the end of 2023.

Once commissioned, the cruiser will continue to perform missions as part of the Northern Fleet.

Today, we will outline the measures that will enable the modernisation of the cruiser to be completed by the end of 2024.

***

The meeting will also address the topic of military flight safety.

The special military operation improves the way aircraft are used. New equipment and means of destruction are being mastered.

A frequently changing environment and the enemy’s use of various Western-made weapons require Russia to respond swiftly to emerging threats.

In this regard, we are introducing new approaches to training of aviation personnel, incorporating combat experience into the training process, and improving the criteria for evaluating combat training and flight safety activities.

In the first half of this year, these steps enabled us to practically eliminate accidents caused by the so-called human factor.

Work on commissioning an innovative system for collecting, processing, and sharing information about aviation occurrences is still underway.

We plan to include federal executive authorities with state-owned aircraft in operation in it in the near future.

Today, we will summarise the safety performance in the first half of the year and outline actions to reduce aircraft accidents.

WtR