July 6, 2022
1. The SMO progress has been identified
National Centre for State Defence Control of the Russian Federation, under the leadership of the head of the military Department, General of the Army Sergei Shoigu, held a teleconference with the leadership of the Armed Forces on July 5th.
Opening the meeting, the Minister of Defence briefed the participants on the progress of the special military operation or SMO.
The Russian Armed Forces, together with units of the Lugansk and Donetsk People's Republics' militias, have fully liberated the Lugansk People's Republic. In the past two weeks alone, 670 square kilometres of its territory have been liberated.
At the same time, according to Sergei Shoigu, the collective West, hoping to prolong the conflict in Ukraine, continues large-scale arms deliveries to the Kiev regime. More than 28,000 tonnes of military supplies have already been delivered to the country. Some foreign arms supplied by the West to Ukraine are reportedly spreading across the Middle East region and also reaching the black market.
A successful offensive by the Russian army and units of the people's republics has reduced the number of foreign mercenaries and private military companies operating in the country. In the last ten days, 170 mercenaries have been killed, 99 have refused to take part in hostilities and have left Ukrainian territory.
A range of measures are being implemented to ensure the safety of navigation in the waters of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. The Russian Armed Forces have created two humanitarian corridors for the movement of civilian maritime vessels a long time ago. The mine threat in the waters of the port of Mariupol has been completely eliminated.
Engineering troops are clearing mines and explosives from the territories of the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics. More than 3,700 hectares have now been checked. 46,379 explosive objects have been detected and deactivated.
Russian troops are providing comprehensive support to the population of the liberated cities. "Today, the main priorities for us are preserving the lives and health of subordinate personnel and excluding threats to the security of civilians," said Sergei Shoigu, adding that the special military operation will continue until the tasks set by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief have been completed.
The minister outlined that current and future conscripts are not being sent to the zone of the SMO.
The Minister then outlined the thematic issues of the meeting. These include the progress of certain development work under the State Armament Programme for the benefit of the Aerospace Forces. In particular, the development by the Vympel Design Bureau of medium- and short-range air-to-air guided missiles. These missiles are designed to equip the modern Su-57 and other carriers. The use of the new weaponry will improve the combat effectiveness of carrier aircraft in air-to-air confrontation and increase the range of engageable aerial targets, including small and stealth technology. This year, the plan is to complete state testing of the missiles and put the first production batches into service.
2. Russia Warns OPCW of possible provocations by Ukraine
Moscow has sent a note verbale to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) saying that Kiev is preparing a staged provocation with the use of chemical weapons at Slavyanskaya thermal power plant in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), also warning about other possible provocations in Nikolaev and Kharkov, the Russian permanent representative to the organization, Alexander Shulgin, said on July 6.
"We have already sent a corresponding note to the technical [OPCW] secretariat, informed about the upcoming provocations in Nikolaevka, also notified that Ukrainian nationalists are going to organize provocations in other places such as in Nikolaev and Kharkov. In total, over two dozen notes have already been sent to the technical secretariat," Shulgin told the Russian Rossiya 24 broadcaster.
The official also said that the OPCW confirmed the receipt of the data, and that the organization has been distributing it among the participating countries.
On July 5th, the head of the Russian National Defense Control Center, Col. Gen. Mikhail Mizintsev, said that Kiev was preparing a staged provocation in the DPR with a use of chlorine to accuse Moscow of alleged indiscriminate attacks targeting chemically hazardous objects.
3. HIMARS are knocked down
Russian forces destroyed two US-made rocket launchers in Donbass, the defense ministry said on July 6.
“In the area of the settlement of Malotaranovka in the Donetsk People's Republic, high-precision air-launched missiles destroyed two US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems and two ammunition depots for them,” the Russian military said in a statement.
The US provided Kiev with eight High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and ammunition since the beginning of the Russian military offensive in Ukraine, according to a Pentagon fact sheet published on Tuesday.
At the end of June, the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) said that an М142 HIMARS had been used by Ukrainian forces in Donbass for the first time.
Written by Vladimir P. Kozin
