Russia claims to have destroyed US PMC base & command centres in Ukraine amid ongoing war

In its latest statement, the Russian Defence Ministry claimed that the country's Armed Forces launched a series of strikes against Ukrainian command centres and strongholds, including a local facility of the US Private Military Company (PMC) assisting Kyiv's military. This comes as the war between Russia and Ukraine continues unabated for more than six months now. According to the ministry, the mercenary base belonged to the Academi PMC, which was earlier known as the 'notorious Blackwater company.'  It was located in the Donetsk People's Republic close to Kramatorsk city in Ukraine, Sputnik reported. 

The Russian Defence Ministry further claimed that the strikes also damaged the Kraken nationalist battalion's base of operations and Ukrainian missile strike coordination facilities nearby Shurino village in the Nikolaev area. Besides, at least 127 infantry and military equipment positions,  47 Ukrainian artillery locations, as well as other targets were hit during the operations. The attacks were carried out as a part of the ongoing "special military operation" by Russian forces in Ukraine, which was launched by President Vladimir Putin on February 24. 

Putin will not be able to achieve his 'goal' in Ukraine: US intelligence

Meanwhile, US intelligence has claimed that Russia's losses and depleted resources in Ukraine demonstrate that its forces are unable to accomplish President Putin's "goal" in the war-torn country. “We are coming to a point right now where I think Putin is going to have to revise what his objectives are for this operation. Because it’s pretty clear right now that he is not going to be able to do what he initially intended to do," stated Lt. Gen. Scott Berrier, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, as per the Associated Press (AP). According to him, Putin launched a full-fledged war in Ukraine with the objective to destabilise the Western-friendly government in Ukraine. 

Russia lost over 54,000 soldiers since the onset of war, claims Ukraine

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Defence Ministry claimed that Russia has also incurred heavy casualties since the onset of the war in late February. In its latest operational update, the Ministry claimed that Russia has lost nearly 54,480 soldiers, 4,718 Armored Personnel Vehicles (APV), 2,210 tanks, 1,309 artillery systems and 312 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS), and at least 168 anti-aircraft warfare systems. In addition, the invaders also lost as many as 3,578 vehicles and fuel tanks, 918 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), 251 aircraft, 217 helicopters, 238 cruise missiles, 122 special equipment and 15 boats, the Ukrainian Defence Ministry stated in a Facebook post.