Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said that the main task of the SMO in 2023 to disrupt the counter-offensive of the AFU has been successfully fulfilled.
He made the corresponding statement at the final thematic conference call.
“The main efforts in the outgoing year were focused on achieving the goals of the special military operation. The main one was to disrupt the loudly declared by Ukraine and its NATO allies counter-offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This task has been successfully fulfilled,” TASS quoted him as saying.
Shoigu also noted that the key to success in this task was the perfectly built systems of defensive lines, high combat effectiveness of Russian troops, selflessness and determination of fighters, as well as the effectiveness of Russian military equipment.
The minister added that Russian President Vladimir Putin praised the work of the leadership and personnel of the Russian Defence Ministry, thanking people for fulfilling their tasks.
Earlier, Shoigu said that the Russian defence industry was working round the clock.