Russia has said that it has destroyed a Ukrainian armoured fighting vehicle in Zaporizhzhia using a Ka-52 combat helicopter.
The footage purports to show the Russian combat helicopter opening fire, with the images then cutting to what appears to be a military vehicle being hit.
The images were obtained from the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Wednesday, 14th June, along with a statement claiming (in English): “‘Good, right into the cab’.
“An AFU [Armed Forces of Ukraine] armoured fighting vehicle annihilated in Zaporozhye [Zaporizhzhia] direction.
“The Ka-52 reconnaissance attack helicopter uncovered the advance of enemy armoured vehicles and struck the target with a guided missile. The armoured fighting vehicle together with the crew was neutralised by a direct hit!”
We have not been able to independently verify the claims or the footage.
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February 2022 in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 476th day of the full-scale war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February 2022 and 14th June 2023, Russia had lost about 217,330 personnel, 3,943 tanks, 7,653 armoured combat vehicles, 3,783 artillery units, 603 multiple launch rocket systems, 364 air defence systems, 314 warplanes, 300 helicopters, 3,324 drones, 1,196 cruise missiles, 18 warships, 6,482 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 516 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.
The authoritarian President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, has said that he will not hesitate to use tactical nuclear weapons provided by Russia if faced with acts of aggression.
His comment appears to contradict statements previously made by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who had said that nuclear weapons in Belarus would remain under the control of the Kremlin.
A Russian missile attack on the port city of Odesa in southern Ukraine has killed three people and injured at least 13 others, according to the Ukrainian military.
Ukraine’s Governor of the Donetsk region has said that three people have been killed and another three injured in a Russian attack on Kramatorsk and Kostyantynivka.
Putin claimed on Tuesday that Ukrainian losses are “catastrophic” and the counteroffensive has not been successful in any area.
He also claimed: “They lost over 160, we lost 54 tanks, and some of them are subject to restoration and repair.”
But Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said that “there is forward movement in various areas”.
It has been confirmed that Ukrainian forces have successfully liberated the village of Neskuchne, after Western journalists were granted access to the area.
Russia has yet to acknowledge any gains made by Ukraine’s counteroffensive.
