Russia has said that it has destroyed Ukrainian strongholds and armoured vehicles in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine using Mi-28N attack helicopters.
The footage shows a Russian attack helicopter being prepared for combat before it is seen taking off from an undisclosed location.
It can then be seen flying low before firing a salvo of rockets and taking a base of action.
The images then show a second helicopter opening fire, with the images then cutting to what appears to be an armoured vehicle being hit.
One of the helicopters can then be seen coming in to land back at base before the footage ends.
The images were obtained from the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Tuesday, 28th November, along with a statement claiming: “The crews of Mi-28N attack helicopters destroyed strongholds and armoured vehicles of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Donetsk direction.”
The Russian MoD added: “The crews of Mi-28N attack helicopters of the Russian Aerospace Forces destroyed strongholds and armored vehicles of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Donetsk direction.
“During combat missions, army aviation pilots launched missiles at detected fortified points of Ukrainian Armed Forces units.
“As a result of combat use, the control center and armored vehicles of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were destroyed.
“Army aviation in the zone of a special military operation carries out tasks of escorting convoys, destroying armored vehicles, delivering troops, military cargo, and air support for units.”
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 643rd day of the full-scale war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February 2022 and 28th November 2023, Russia had lost about 326,440 personnel, 5,523 tanks, 10,285 armoured combat vehicles, 7,876 artillery units, 907 multiple launch rocket systems, 597 air defence systems, 323 warplanes, 324 helicopters, 5,905 drones, 1,565 cruise missiles, 22 warships, 1 submarine, 10,302 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 1,113 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.
Snow, flooding and hurricane-force winds have hit southern Russia and the occupied Ukrainian territories of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson and Crimea.
At least five people have died and nearly 1,500 towns and villages have suffered power cuts and up to 10 inches of snow in some locations.
Russia’s energy ministry has said that 1.9 million people have been affected by power cuts.
There are reportedly hopes that the severe weather could set back the Russian war effort.
Vitaliy Barabash, the head of Ukraine’s military administration in Avdiivka, has said that Russian forces are increasing their attempts to capture the city and trying to advance on all sides.
He said: “The Russians have opened up two more sectors from which they have begun making assaults – in the direction of Donetsk … and in the so-called industrial zone. The enemy is attempting to storm the city from all directions.”
The UK Ministry of Defence has said that Ukrainian estimates of Russian casualties are “plausible”.
With a daily average of nearly 1,000 Russian forces reported by Ukraine as killed or injured in November, this would make the month one of the deadliest for Russian forces.
Many of their losses stem from their attempts to take Avdiivka.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is attending a NATO session in Brussels today, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
The event includes the first meeting of foreign ministers of the NATO-Ukraine Council, which was created to improve cooperation and coordination and to help prepare Ukraine for becoming a member of the Western alliance.
Jens Stoltenberg, the Secretary-General of NATO, has said that Ukraine will become a member of NATO after the war, subject to reforms.
He added that NATO members still agree that full membership is impossible while the war with Russia is ongoing but efforts are ongoing to move Ukraine and NATO closer together.
Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s Foreign Minister, has said that he plans to travel to NATO member North Macedonia this week for a conference of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which includes 57 members including Russia.
NATO member Bulgaria has said that it has given Lavrov permission to fly through its airspace.
Lavrov, responding to remarks by the US Secretary of Defence last week that Russian President Vladimir Putin would not stop at Ukraine if Russia is victorious there, has insisted that Moscow does not have plans to expand its territory farther into Europe.
