This first-person-view footage shows an epic firefight as Ukrainian forces launch an assault on a Russian-held destroyed forest near Bakhmut.
The footage begins by showing Ukrainian soldiers in a vehicle before cutting to troops in a trench.
Russian ordnance hits nearby with a thud as one of the soldiers in the trench braces for its impact before the trench wall shudders slightly.
FPV images then show a Ukrainian soldier shooting at a drone before more incoming Russian ordnance partially takes out part of a trench right next to some Ukrainian soldiers.
The trench thuds some more as another shell hits, apparently starting a fire.
Gunfire can then be heard, with the Ukrainian side returning fire amid the destroyed forest.
More shells hit near the Ukrainian position, with one Ukrainian soldier smiling, seemingly unperturbed.
The images then show Ukrainian soldiers exchanging fire with Russian soldiers before moving out in an armoured vehicle as the footage ends.
The images were obtained from the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Monday, 30th October, along with a statement saying: “Assault ‘landings’ – there is something in it.
“Epic footage of the battle in one of the forest lanes near Bakhmut. The fighters shot down the enemy FPV drones, when the positions occupied by the attack aircraft began to cover the occupants with heavy fire. And the gaps became closer and closer.
“GoPro from the trenches of the Eastern Front by soldiers of the 4th Company of the 2nd Assault Battalion of the Third Assault Brigade.”
The images and statement were also relayed by the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February 2022 in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 615th day of the full-scale war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February 2022 and 31st October 2023, Russia had lost about 300,810 personnel, 5,211 tanks, 9,804 armoured combat vehicles, 7,227 artillery units, 844 multiple launch rocket systems, 562 air defence systems, 321 warplanes, 324 helicopters, 5,440 drones, 1,546 cruise missiles, 20 warships, 1 submarine, 9,590 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 1,016 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.
The White House has accused House Republicans of “politicising national security” after they introduced a bill to separate aid to Israel from assistance to Ukraine and proposed to fund the aid to Israel by cutting funding to the Internal Revenue Service.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Monday, 30th October: “Politicising our national security interests is a nonstarter.
“Demanding offsets for meeting core national security needs of the United States – like supporting Israel and defending Ukraine from atrocities and Russian imperialism – would be a break with the normal, bipartisan process and could have devastating implications for our safety and alliances in the years ahead.”
Dmytro Kuleba, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, said on Monday that he was confident that the US House of Representatives would support a request for an additional financial support for Ukraine’s military.
He added that he was aware of the considerable political resistance” to the bill.
Last week, US House Speaker Mike Johnson said that funding for Ukraine and Israel should be separate, suggesting that he would not back a USD 106 billion aid package for both countries set out by US President Joe Biden.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed, without providing evidence, that Ukrainian agents and Western spy agencies were behind a rampage seen at an airport in the primarily Muslim region of Dagestan that targeted a flight from Tel Aviv.
Local security forces moved in to bring order after people started looking for Jewish passengers arriving from Israel in what has been described as an anti-Semitic riot.
US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said that Putin’s claim was “classic Russian rhetoric”. He added that “the West had nothing to do with this”.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Monday that the first US-made F-16 combat aircraft that his country is donating to Ukraine will arrive at Romanian training centres within the next two weeks.
