Moscown [Russia], October 26: TASS news agency yesterday quoted an announcement from the Russian Ministry of Defense saying that Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu inspected the command post of Russia's Eastern combat group in Donetsk province and heard a report on the current situation.
Russia is controlling several areas in Donetsk province , in eastern Ukraine. During a meeting with members of the Eastern combat group, it was announced that the new systems supplied to Russian forces had shot down 24 Ukrainian fighter jets in the past few days.
Also according to the announcement from the Russian Ministry of Defense, Minister Shoigu heard a report about the organization of counter-fire during a meeting at the command post located in the special military operation zone. He also reminded commanders to provide adequate and timely winter uniforms for soldiers, as well as reserve additional winter uniforms and insulated shoes.
The announcement of Minister Shoigu's visit to Donetsk was made when the Russia-Ukraine conflict has lasted nearly 610 days with no signs of cooling down.
Ukrainian officials said that Russian forces heavily attacked the town of Avdiivka in Donetsk province on October 24, but reduced ground attacks and switched to air strikes due to heavy losses. Spokesman OleksandrShtupun of the Southern Ukraine Forces Group said that in the previous 5 days, Russia had about 2,400 people killed and injured in Donetsk province.
Meanwhile, The Kyiv Independent website yesterday quoted Secretary of the Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksiy Danilov as saying that the first batch of ATACMS long-range missile systems that Ukraine received had "exceeded expectations". Accordingly, ATACMS has reduced attacks by Russian helicopters and Mr. Danilov also said that a large number of Russian helicopters have left the Crimean peninsula. Ukrainian forces first used ATACMS provided by the US on October 17 to attack Russian military airports in eastern and southern Ukraine.
Source: ThanhNien Newspaper