During a conference call, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu outlined claims about military activity in Ukraine for August, stating that the Russian Armed Forces eliminated 174 Ukrainian headquarters and destroyed more than 600 heavy weapons. The briefing highlighted a focus on command posts at brigade and battalion levels along with a substantial number of heavy weapons and artillery systems, many reportedly of Western manufacture.
Shoigu asserted that Russian air defense systems intercepted 226 missiles from the HIMARS family and downed six helicopters in addition to 188 drones during the same period. The statement framed August as a month of concentrated strikes against Ukrainian command and control facilities and critical weapon systems, contributing to a broader narrative of ongoing operational success.
The ministry has previously reported that since the onset of the special operation, Russian forces have cited the elimination of thousands of foreign mercenaries involved in the conflict, reinforcing the broader political and military messaging around foreign involvement and the scale of the campaign.
Earlier releases from the Russian defense establishment claimed that air defense units also intercepted air-to-ground threats, including anti-radar missiles originating from the United States, underscoring a continuing emphasis on Western-provided hardware and its vulnerabilities as described by Moscow.
On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the decision to initiate a military special operation in Ukraine, framing the move as a response to requests for assistance from the heads of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic and Donetsk People’s Republic, and positioning the operation within the broader context of regional security concerns as articulated by Moscow.