Russian Defence Minister announces Ukraine's total losses in ​​Lysychansk and Severodonetsk

During active offensive operations of the Russian forces in the area of ​​Lysychansk and Severodonetsk, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) lost a total of 5,469 people.

As many as 2,218 of this number account for irretrievable losses and 3,251 — for sanitary ones, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoygu said, TASS reports.

Within the period of two weeks, the Rissian Armed Forces surrounded and liquidated groups in the Gorsky trap in the areas of Lysychansk and Severodonetsk, and took control of 25 settlements. In total, the Russian troops took as many as 670 square kilometers of territory under control as a result of active offensive operations, Shoygu added.

In the battles for Lysychansk, the Armed Forces of Ukraine lost:

• 12 aircraft,
• 6 anti-aircraft missile systems,
• 39 tanks.

In addition, 166 field and mortar artillery pieces, as well as 216 Ukrainian vehicles for various purposes, were destroyed during the operations, the Russian Defence Minister said.

On July 3, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoygu reported to President Vladimir Putin that the Russian Armed Forces took control of the entire territory of the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR), including Lysychansk and nearby towns and villages. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in turn, confirmed that the command of the Ukrainian army withdrew troops from Lysychansk.