This POV-style footage shows Ukrainian soldiers moving forward and consolidating positions captured from the Russians in Bakhmut.
The video begins by showing a large number of heavily armed Ukrainian soldiers going up an embankment and storming a slightly elevated Russian position.
At least two of them can be seen dropping down into a shallow trench before the footage cuts back to the embankment, with a Ukrainian soldier seen firing a grenade over the embankment before more Ukrainian soldiers are seen crossing the field to the Russian position.
The images then show Ukrainian soldiers making their way along what appears to be a covered part of a Russian trench and consolidating their advance.
The images were obtained from the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and their commander Andriy Biletskyi on Monday, 19th June, along with a statement saying: “Bakhmut direction. 1st and 3rd Companies of the 2nd Assault Battalion, three armoured personnel carriers are fixed on cleared positions.
“Enemy attack aircraft are equipped with a gunner, target artillery and a drone with drops. Despite this, our fighters fulfil all the assigned tasks and move forward.”
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February 2022 in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 482nd day of the full-scale war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February 2022 and 20th June 2023, Russia had lost about 221,460 personnel, 3,997 tanks, 7,750 armoured combat vehicles, 3,888 artillery units, 614 multiple launch rocket systems, 372 air defence systems, 314 warplanes, 306 helicopters, 3,393 drones, 1,214 cruise missiles, 18 warships, 6,645 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 531 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.
Ukraine has said that it shot down 32 out of 35 Shahed drones launched overnight by Russia, primarily at the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.
Ukraine’s Ministry of the Interior has said that four settlements and 818 homes remain flooded on the right bank of the Dnipro River in Kherson following the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam.
The FSB, the Russian security service, has claimed that it has detained a Ukrainian citizen suspected of espionage in the Kabardino-Balkaria region.
British military intelligence has said that both the Ukrainian and the Russian side have reported heavy casualties two weeks into the Ukrainian counteroffensive.
Ukraine has claimed to have killed or injured some 4,600 Russian soldiers since the beginning of the counteroffensive two weeks ago.
Hanna Maliar, Ukraine’s Deputy Defence Minister, said on Monday that her country needs to prepare itself for “a tough duel”, adding that the “biggest blow is yet to come”.
She also said that Russia was concentrating a significant number of forces on the eastern front but that Ukrainian soldiers were stopping their advance, adding that the situation was “difficult”.
Ukraine said on Monday that it had recaptured the village of Piatykhatky, described as a heavily fortified settlement on the frontline near the shortest route to the Azov Sea.
Ukraine’s Western allies will reportedly only protect the country’s multibillion-dollar post-war recovery process if a strategy is agreed upon to ensure there is progress in combating judicial corruption in the country, among other requirements.
The European Union is set to release a report this week revealing whether Ukraine has met two out of seven conditions to begin its membership negotiations.
The Russian mercenary organisation Wagner has reportedly called for people aged 21 to 35 with a “background in gaming” to enlist as drone specialists as it seeks to make up for heavy losses.
US President Joe Biden has said that threats by Russian President Vladimir Putin to use tactical nuclear weapons are “real”.
This comes days after nuclear weapons were reportedly deployed to Belarus, a staunch Russian ally.
The British government has announced further sanctions against Russia, including the introduction of legislation to ensure that Russian assets remain frozen until the Russian government agrees to pay compensation to Ukraine.
