"Our troops have the initiative along the entire front line and continue to push the enemy out of their positions. Thanks to intensive actions, the Russian Armed Forces liberated the settlements of Pervomaiske, Bogdanovka, and Novomikhailovka of the Donetsk People's Republic," Sergei Shoigu said during a briefing on the course of the war in Ukraine.

The Russian Defense Ministry report also said that Russian forces are currently "expanding their zone of control in Berdichi and Georgievka," west of Avdiivka and Marinka, respectively.

"Our high military potential allows us to exert constant pressure on the enemy and not allow them to hold the defense line," he added.

Shoigu referred to Washington's recent decision to allocate about $61 billion (€57 billion) to Kyiv so that the Ukrainians "continue to die for [the United States'] interests in their fight against Russia."

"In total, since the start of the military operation, the losses of the Ukrainian army amount to about half a million," he said, stressing that Western aid has not helped Kyiv achieve its goals in the counteroffensive "prepared by NATO instructors."

"Our army has destroyed the myth of the superiority of Western weapons," he added.

On the other hand, "the enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex have significantly increased their production capacity" and "the situation in the area of the military operation is proof of this," Shoigu argued.

"We will continue to increase the production of the most demanded models of weapons and military equipment, in proportion to the threats from the United States and its allies, and we will continue to improve the composition and structure of the armed forces," he warned.

The minister also announced that the Russian army will increase "the intensity of strikes on logistical centers and warehouses of Western military equipment," criticizing NATO for increasing its presence near Russian borders.

"NATO forces have up to 33,000 troops, about 300 tanks, and more than 800 armored fighting vehicles near our borders," Shoigu said, for whom Sweden's entry into the alliance has also increased political-military tensions on the western and northwestern fronts.

The Russian official said that the Russian army will begin to receive the new generation of S-400 long-range anti-aircraft missile systems this year, in addition to the traditional S-400, S-300V4, Buk-M3, and Tor-M2U.

New-generation radars and Pantsir anti-aircraft artillery systems will also be produced, which Shoigu says have proven to be very effective, so the Russian army will almost double its acquisitions this year.

"The improvement of the anti-aircraft and anti-missile defense forces will ensure the protection of the most important facilities of the command post system, the strategic nuclear forces, and the army groups," he concluded.

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