Putin: Seems That Western Countries Ready to Fight Until the Last Ukrainian

Western countries are ready to fight until the last Ukrainian, Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated during the operational meeting with permanent members of Russia's Security Council held on 22 June.

"It seems that Ukraine's Western allies have really decided to fight Russia to the last Ukrainian," the president stressed.

Putin has also stressed that reserves of Armed Forces of Ukraine has not yet been exhausted.

Nevertheless, according to the president, the West can supply Ukraine with additional equipment, but the mobilization reserve is finite.

"I understand that this is preliminary data, because it is impossible to see everything to the end on the battlefield, but in general it is clear. From this we can conclude that the equipment, of course, can be supplied additionally, but the mobilization reserve is not unlimited," Putin said, commenting on the data announced by Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and Russia's Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev on the losses of Ukrainian troops in equipment and personnel.

According to Patrushev, from June 4 to June 21 the Russian military has already destroyed 246 Ukrainian tanks, including 13 Western-style tanks involved in Kiev's counteroffensive.

"To date, we have the following data that from June 4 to June 21, 246 tanks were destroyed, including 13 Western tanks; armored fighting vehicles and armored vehicles – 595 units, including 152 BMP units [...] Field artillery guns and mortars – 279 units," Patrushev said.

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The Russian military destroyed 42 multiple launch rocket systems and 10 tactical fighters deployed by Kiev during the Ukrainian counteroffensive, Patrushev also said.

"Multiple launch rocket systems – 42 units, anti-aircraft missile systems - 2 units, tactical fighters – 10 units, helicopters – 4 units, unmanned aerial vehicles - 264 units, automotive equipment – 424 units," Patrushev stressed.

Earlier, Russian Security Council Secretary said that Kiev's losses during the Ukrainian counteroffensive had already exceeded 13 thousand soldiers.

According to Russia's Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, data on Ukraine's losses during the counteroffensive, which was launched by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on June 4, were mainly taken from radio intercepts of negotiations between Ukrainian commanders.

Putin asked whether the Defense Minister confirms the data of the Secretary of the Security Council.

"I confirm, especially since basically these data are data taken from interceptions, reports of commanders of Ukrainian units," Shoigu said.

Shoigu also noted that by the end of June, a reserve army will be formed in the Russian Armed Forces and an army corps will be formed in the near future, they will receive more than 3,700 pieces of equipment.

"We are forming reserves as part of the army corps, the army, plus five regiments of the 20th tank Army. Everything is going as planned there. In fact, by the end of June we will complete the formation of the reserve army and we will soon complete the formation of the army corps there," the minister said during the meeting.

Now these five regiments, both in terms of personnel and equipment, are formed by 60%, the Shoigu noted.

He clarified that the Russian Armed Forces receive on average more than 110 units of upgraded and new equipment every day.

"On average, in order to have a complete impression, we have an average of 1,336 people on contract per day, well, in fact, we get a regiment every day. Plus, Vladimir Vladimirovich, we receive 112 pieces of equipment every day. This applies to both upgraded equipment and new equipment, so we have gained serious momentum here, and we do not see any risks of disruption in the formation of reserves," Shoigu said, reporting to Russian President Vladimir Putin.