ST. PETERSBURG (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 30th July, 2023) Ukraine has suffered heavy losses both in manpower and in military equipment, Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters at the conclusion of the Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg.
"They suffered heavy losses both in manpower and in equipment, but now there are some changes. What are they? They bring people to the front line in armored vehicles, throw them out, and the equipment immediately disappears. Apparently, they are preserving the equipment, they are afraid to lose it, and advance on foot," Putin said on Saturday.
The Russian president told journalists that there are no major changes in Ukraine, likely due to the fact that Ukraine's assault units have been withdrawn to the combat capability recovery positions.
Putin also said that Russia launched preemptive strikes on the locations where drones were produced that Kiev used to target the Crimean bridge.
"In addition, you know, you saw it, the Russian armed forces carried out a number of preemptive strikes. Just at the locations where these drones were sent from and where they were produced," Putin said.
Russia began striking Ukrainian infrastructure on October 10, two days after the attack on the Crimean Bridge. The strikes are targeting energy, defense industry, military command and communications facilities throughout Ukraine.
Earlier this month, Russia also began carrying out airstrikes on the port facilities in Odesa in retribution for Kiev's deadly attack on the Crimean Bridge with the use of underwater vehicles, which killed a woman and a man and wounded their teenage daughter, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
