Russian Defence Ministry

Briefing by the Russian Defence Ministry on 16 April

The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue a special military operation in Ukraine.

During the day, 15 enemy targets were hit by high-precision air-launched missiles. Among them: Near Barvenkovo, Rubezhnoye, Popasnaya, Novozvanovka, Krasnoarmeysk, Selidovo, Novobakhmutovka, 6 areas of concentration of Ukrainian military equipment and 7 strong points of Ukrainian troops were destroyed.

As a result of the strikes, more than 320 Ukrainian servicemen were killed and wounded, 23 armored vehicles and 7 vehicles for various purposes were destroyed.

Operational-tactical aviation destroyed 67 areas of concentration of personnel and Ukrainian military equipment during the day.

Missile troops hit 317 military facilities, including: 274 strong points and areas of concentration of enemy manpower, 24 control points and 2 field fuel storage facilities of Ukrainian troops.

Russian air defence means in Odessa area shot down 1 Ukrainian military transport plane in the air, delivering a large batch of weapons supplied to Ukraine by Western countries. 2 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down over Lozovaya and Veselaya.

In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, 134 aircraft, 460 unmanned aerial vehicles, 246 anti-aircraft missile systems, 2,269 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 252 multiple rocket launchers, 987 field artillery and mortars, as well as 2,158 units of special military vehicles have been destroyed.

The entire city territory of Mariupol has been completely cleared of militants of the Nazi formation “Azov”, foreign mercenaries and Ukrainian troops. The remnants of the Ukrainian group are currently completely blocked on the territory of the Azovstal metallurgical plant. Their only chance to save their lives is to voluntarily lay down their arms and surrender.

Let me remind you that in Mariupol at the time of its encirclement on March 11 there were: the 36th separate marine brigade, the 109th territorial defence brigade, the 503rd separate marine battalion, a company of the 53rd separate mechanized brigade, units of the 17th anti-tank brigade, Nazi formations “Azov”, “Aidar”, “Right Sector”, police and state border service units, as well as foreign mercenaries.

The total number of this group was about 8,100 people.

During the liberation of Mariupol, 1,464 Ukrainian servicemen have already surrendered. The number of surrenders is increasing daily. Including those who escaped from the territory of Azovstal.

According to their testimonies, the total number of Ukrainian servicemen, Nazis and foreign mercenaries who took refuge on Azovstal does not exceed 2,500 people. Thus, on April 16, in Mariupol alone, the losses of the Ukrainian group amounted to more than 4,000 people. Therefore, Zelensky’s recent statements to the Western media that the irreplaceable losses of the Ukrainian military during the operation allegedly amount to 2,500-3,000 are a common lie for him.

The Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation has reliable data on the true losses of the Ukrainian army, national guard and joined foreign mercenaries, which Zelensky is afraid to tell the people of Ukraine. As of today, the irreplaceable losses amount to 23,367 people.


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