The Russian military hit the decision-making center of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. This is stated in the report of the Russian Ministry of Defense.

"On June 16, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation launched a group strike with high-precision long-range sea- and air-based weapons on one of the decision-making centers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine," the report said.

It is noted that the goal of the strike has been achieved, the object has been hit.

In addition, the Russian military repelled three attacks by the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the settlements of Novodonetskoye of the Donetsk People's Republic and Levadnoye of the Zaporozhye region. Up to 30 Ukrainian soldiers were destroyed. Two infantry fighting vehicles and two tanks were also hit.

Three enemy attacks were repelled in the Zaporizhzhia direction. As a result of the defeat of the reserves of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, advancing in the area of the settlement of Stepovoye, five armored combat vehicles were destroyed.

In total, in this direction, the losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine per day exceeded 235 people. Ukraine also lost four tanks, two infantry fighting vehicles, 14 armored combat vehicles, an American-made M777 artillery system and a D-20 howitzer.

In the Donetsk direction, seven enemy attacks were repelled, and air strikes defeated units of the 46th Airmobile Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the 109th Territorial Defense Brigade. Up to 340 servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were eliminated, two armored vehicles, infantry fighting vehicles, as well as two D-30 howitzers were destroyed.

The Ministry of Defense also reported the destruction of a sabotage and reconnaissance group in the Novoselovsky area of the Lugansk People's Republic. The activities of another DRG were suppressed in the area of the village of Kuzmino.

The military department reported that two vehicles, a Hyacinth-B howitzer and two Gvozdika self-propelled artillery mounts were destroyed in the Kherson direction.

Fighter aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces destroyed a Mi-24 helicopter of the Ukrainian Air Force, according to the Russian military department.

It is also reported about the interception of six shells of the HIMARS and Uragan multiple launch rocket systems.

Earlier, Sergei Shoigu inspected the arsenals of the enterprise of the military-industrial complex located in the Omsk region. He called for strict adherence to the schedule for the execution of the order and set the task of continuing to expand the production capacity for the production of tanks and flamethrower systems to meet the needs of troops in the zone of a special military operation.

Attempts to attack the Armed Forces of Ukraine

The chances of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to break through the defenses in the Zaporozhye direction are extremely low. This was stated by the Deputy Governor of the Zaporozhye region Sergey Tolmachev.

"I looked at what our combat positions look like. The enemy's chances of breaking through the defenses in this place are extremely low, "TASS quoted him as saying.

He noted that any attempt to attack Ukrainian troops would lead to heavy losses.

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during SPIEF-2023 that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are making another attempt at a counteroffensive in the Zaporozhye region.

  • Vladimir Putin on the attempted counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

"Right now, when we are talking, another attempt is being made in the so-called Vremevsky direction," the president said.

According to him, the enemy was not successful.

"We approached the first edge, lost several tanks, there is a battle going on at this point in time," he said.

The Head of State stressed that during the counteroffensive, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, using strategic reserves, did not achieve success in any of the areas.