Defence Minister Shoigu: Ukraine loses 15,000 people in April

In April 2023, the Russian military have destroyed eight aircraft, over 270 drones, as well as 430 tanks and armoured vehicles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Russian Defence minister Sergei Shoigu said.

The Ukrainian army lost 15,000 people in April, Shoigu also said at a meeting with the leadership of the Russian Armed Forces.

"Despite the unprecedented military assistance from Western countries, the enemy has been suffering significant losses. In the past month alone, they have lost more than 15,000 people,” Defence Minister Shoigu said.

Over the past month, the Russian military have destroyed eight aircraft, over 270 drones, 430 tanks and other armoured vehicles, 18 MLRS vehicles and 225 field artillery guns and mortars of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the minister said.

Russia has enough ammo to defeat Ukraine

The Russian forces conduct the military operation along the entire line of contact. The Russian Armed Forces have received enough ammunition this year to defeat the Armed Forces of Ukraine, he added.

It is worthy of note that Russia last reported its losses in the special military operation in September — 5,937 people, the Defence Ministry then said.

Kyiv says that the Ukrainian army is ready for counteroffensive. On May 1, Ukraine's Defence Minister Alexei Reznikov said that "everything was ready."

In late March, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the Armed Forces of Ukraine could not launch a counteroffensive due to the lack of weapons and ammunition.

Russia monitors reports about the Ukrainian counteroffensive and takes them into account when planning the special operation, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.