MOSCOW. Nov 22 (Interfax) - Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov held a meeting at the northern group of forces' command post and listened to a report by the group's commander Alexander Lapin, the Defense Ministry said in a statement on Friday.
"The combat work that you are now doing here, grinding down their best forces and speeding up our advance in this sector, has actually thwarted their entire campaign for 2025," Belousov said at the meeting at the command post of the northern group of forces.
Video footage from the meeting has been released by the Defense Ministry.
According to official information, the northern group of forces is also in charge of the operation against Ukrainian troops in the Kursk region.
Belousov also listened to the commanders' reports detailing the current situation, the way forces in the special military operation zone are being supplied and the nature of enemy actions, the ministry's statement said.
"The commander of the group of forces Col. Gen. Alexander Lapin briefed the minister on the progress made in fulfilling combat tasks in the sectors of the group's operations and on the specifics of using tactical and army aircraft, artillery and unmanned aerial vehicles in its area of responsibility," it said.
During the visit to the command post, Belousov was also shown NATO-supplied weapons used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, including drones, communication equipment and small arms, it said.
"The defense minister thanked the commanders of the group's units for the high results of their combat work and presented state awards to service members who demonstrated their courage, valor and heroism," it said.
Belousov inspected the organization of troops' combat training at a military training ground of the northern group of forces and presented state awards, it said.