LUGANSK, April 25. /TASS/. The Ukrainian military has amassed sufficient manpower and equipment for a counteroffensive in the Krasny Liman area but Russian aviation and artillery deny the enemy its advance, Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) people’s militia retired Lieutenant-Colonel Andrey Marochko told TASS on Tuesday.
"The analysis of the amassment of the Ukrainian armed formations, their numerical strength, the available armaments and equipment suggests that the enemy presently has all that is required for a counteroffensive on a narrow front," the LPR officer said, citing Russian intelligence data on the situation in the Krasny Liman area.
Daily strikes by Russian combat aircraft and artillery pose a big threat to the Ukrainian army and, therefore, its military command "does not venture to implement its intent in full so far," Marochko said.
Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on April 24 that the enemy had lost over 60 Ukrainian personnel, two armored combat vehicles, three motor vehicles, a D-20 howitzer and a Gvozdika motorized artillery system in the Krasny Liman direction in the past 24 hours.