The footage purports to show the Russian forces preparing the war machine in a forested area, with it then seen firing a salvo of its deadly ordnance into the sky.
The images were obtained from the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Sunday, 16th April, along with a statement claiming: “BM-21 ‘Grad’ crews of the Southern Military District launched an artillery strike on the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.”
The Russian MoD added: “In one of the directions, as a result of artillery reconnaissance carried out with the help of unmanned aerial vehicles and radar equipment, camouflaged positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were discovered.
“Having received the coordinates, the crews of the BM-21 ‘Grad’ multiple launch rocket systems of the Southern Military District advanced to combat positions, from where they launched a fire strike on targets. Having destroyed the command post, a warehouse with weapons, ammunition and fuel and lubricants of the enemy, the gunners quickly changed positions.”
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February 2022 in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 418th day of the full-scale war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February 2022 and 17th April 2023, Russia had lost about 182,660 personnel, 3,660 tanks, 7,087 armoured combat vehicles, 2,804 artillery units, 538 multiple launch rocket systems, 285 air defence systems, 308 warplanes, 293 helicopters, 2,347 drones, 911 cruise missiles, 18 warships, 5,672 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 328 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.
Li Shangfu, the Chinese Defence Minister, has met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
Putin said that both countries were regularly exchanging “useful information” and were “working actively through our military departments”.
And Li said that both countries had “entered a new era” and surpassed “military-political alliances of the Cold War era”.
Vladyslav Vlasiuk, a senior adviser to Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, has said that an increasing number of components from China are being found in weapons that are being used by Russian forces in Ukraine.
He said that this was due to there being less Western-made components being available.
A row has erupted over Poland and Hungary’s decision to ban imports of Ukrainian grain to protect their agricultural industries, with Bulgaria considering a similar move.
The European Commission has reportedly said that unilateral action by European Union members on trade is “not acceptable”.
Russia has claimed that Wagner mercenaries supported by Russian paratroopers have captured two more city blocks in the embattled eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut.
Ukraine’s military has said that there are “bloody battles unprecedented in recent decades” taking place in Bakhmut.
