Russia has said that its artillery has hit a Ukrainian ammunition supply point.
The footage purports to show the Russian weapon being loaded with ordnance and opening fire on the Ukrainian positions.
The images were obtained from the Russian Minister of Defence (MoD) on Friday, 10th May, along with a statement claiming: “The crew of the 152-mm howitzer ‘Giatsint-B’ of the Dnepr group of troops destroyed a mortar crew of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and an ammunition supply point north of the village of Rabotino.”
The Russian MoD added: “The crew of the 152-mm towed howitzer ‘Giatsint-B’ of the Guards self-propelled artillery regiment of the ‘Dnepr’ group of troops destroyed the mortar crew of the Ukrainian Armed Forces with its ammunition supply point north of the village. Rabotino, Zaporozhye region.
“During the combat mission, the artillerymen struck an identified camouflaged enemy firing position remote from the line of combat contact.”
The statement quotes one senior officer of the artillery battery with the call sign ‘Sverdlovsk’ as saying: “UAV operators spotted a 2B-11 mortar occupying a position. They gave us the coordinates, and we quickly arrived at our firing position.
“We got our bearings and before his first shot we worked on it in advance.”
The statement continued: “Russian military personnel have to work every day in the most difficult conditions, but trained artillery crews spend only a few minutes after receiving a target before firing a shot, using tactics of frequent changes of firing positions.
“Artillery units of the 58th Army of the Dnepr group of troops are carrying out precision strikes around the clock on the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Zaporizhzhia region. They destroy military equipment, military facilities, fortifications and enemy personnel.
“The 2A36 ‘Giatsint’ towed gun is a long-range weapon capable of destroying enemy personnel and equipment at a distance of up to 30 kilometres.
“The main task of the Giatsint crews is counter-battery warfare. To do this, they use tactics that require artillerymen to have nerves of iron, endurance and high professionalism.”
We have not been able to independently verify the claims or the footage.
