The “Blitzkrieg” of the Ukrainian Armed Forces was covered with a copper basin. The enemy planned to reach Crimea in 15 days

CrimeaPRESS reports:

The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) planned to blockade Melitopol in 15 days of counter-offensive, continuing to advance towards the Sea of ​​Azov, Mariupol and the border with Crimea. The Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces — First Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, Army General Valery Gerasimov spoke about this today.

The enemy’s plan was to blockade Melitopol by the end of the 15th day of the offensive. Subsequently, advance with access to the coast of the Azov Sea, the city of Mariupol and the border with Crimea“, Gerasimov said during a briefing for foreign military attaches on the results of the activities of the Russian Ministry of Defense in 2023.

He revealed some more “nuances” of the Ukrainian “counter-offensive”. Thus, the grouping of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, concentrated in the Zaporozhye direction, was increased from 50 to 80 battalions, but their progress turned out to be insignificant, despite the build-up of forces.

To achieve this goal (blocking Melitopol and breaking through to the Crimea), by the beginning of June the enemy concentrated in the Zaporozhye direction an offensive group of up to 50 battalions, more than 230 tanks and over a thousand armored combat vehicles, half of which were modern foreign-made models. Subsequently, the group was increased to 80 battalions. In order to disrupt the plans of the Ukrainian command, our troops carried out large-scale measures to create a layered system of engineering barriers, defensive lines and positions.

Having launched their offensive on June 4, the Ukrainian Armed Forces, at the cost of colossal losses, were able to make little progress in the Zaporozhye direction, unable to even overcome the tactical defense zone of our troopsnoted Gerasimov.

The main task of the Russian Armed Forces in 2023, according to him, was to repel the counter-offensive of the Ukrainian Armed Forces group, which planned to deprive the Russian Federation of a land corridor to Crimea.

Despite the large-scale military and financial assistance provided by the West to Ukraine and the total mobilization of Ukrainian citizens, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue to effectively carry out tasks to achieve the goals of the special military operation determined by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. This year, the main task was to repel the counter-offensive of the Ukrainian Armed Forces strike group, the backbone of which was made up of brigades trained and equipped by Western countries. During offensive operations, the command of the Ukrainian Armed Forces planned to defeat our groups and deprive Russia of a land corridor to Crimea,” emphasized the Chief of the General Staff of the RF Armed Forces.

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