Shoigu is trying to present Ukrainian counteroffensive as failed operation against background of NATO summit, - ISW
Russian Defense Minister Serhii Shoigu is trying to present the Ukrainian counteroffensive as a failed operation, despite the Kremlin’s instructions not to downplay the results of the counteroffensive and not to exaggerate Russian successes, to position the Ministry of Defense headed by him as an effective leader of combat operations in Ukraine after the failed mutiny of the "Wagner" PMC.
This is stated in the report of the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Censor.NET informs with reference to Ukrainian Pravda.
"The Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Serhiy Shoigu tried to present the Ukrainian counteroffensive as a failed operation against the background of the NATO summit.
Shoigu implausibly claimed on July 11 that Ukrainian forces had lost 26,000 servicemen and 1,244 tanks and infantry fighting vehicles since the counteroffensive began on June 4.
Shoigu also said that Russian air defense intercepted 176 HIMARS missiles and 27 Storm Shadow cruise missiles since the counteroffensive began," the report said.
ISW analysts add that the reports of the Russian Ministry of Defense about Ukrainian losses are probably greatly exaggerated since even Russian "military personnel" recently accused the Ministry of Defense of Russia of counting strikes on already damaged and destroyed equipment as losses of new Ukrainian equipment.
"Shoigu's rhetoric regarding the Ukrainian counteroffensive clearly contradicts the Kremlin's instructions for the mass media not to downplay the Ukrainian counteroffensive and not to exaggerate Russian successes. Perhaps Shoigu is increasingly ignoring the Kremlin's established instructions on covering the counteroffensive, trying to portray the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation as an effective leader of the war in Ukraine after the "Wagner" mutiny, ISW experts note.
