Russia has said that its Marines have destroyed Ukrainian strongholds near Vuhledar.
The footage shows Russian war machines opening fire on unseen targets with self-propelled artillery and other artillery, as well as what appears to be an air defence system.
The images also show a multiple launch rocket system firing a volley of rockets into the sky, with a second one seen manoeuvring into position before opening fire as well as the footage ends.
The images were obtained from the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Monday, 27th November, along with a statement claiming: “Marines of the Baltic and Pacific fleets destroy strongholds of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Ugledar area in the South Donetsk direction of the Northern Military District.”
The Russian MoD added: “Assault groups of marine brigade units of the Baltic and Pacific fleets destroy firing points and take control of Ukrainian Armed Forces strongholds near Ugledar in the South Donetsk direction of a special military operation.
“Having posted sentinels, the Marines break forward, using a smoke screen to disguise the movement of the Marine group.
“One of the key forest belts with two strongholds of the Armed Forces of Ukraine submitted to the assault groups of Marines almost without a single shot – the enemy, not accepting the battle, retreated back.
“According to stormtroopers from the advanced units of the Marine Corps, this has recently been the usual behaviour of nationalists of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
“Losing control over their strongholds, Ukrainian militants in desperation are pulling all available reserves into the Ugledar area, sparing neither their soldiers nor their shells.
“In a joint lightning-fast attack, having captured the next strong point of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Marines of the Pacific and Baltic fleets continue to work together – they immediately transmit new coordinates of the enemy who has retreated back to our artillery.
“The enemy is covered in fire from self-propelled artillery guns and multiple launch rocket systems in a matter of minutes, without having time to gain a foothold in new positions.”
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 642nd day of the full-scale war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February 2022 and 27th November 2023, Russia had lost about 325,580 personnel, 5,520 tanks, 10,282 armoured combat vehicles, 7,875 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, 10,299 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.
The British Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said that Russia is having to move air defence systems from Kaliningrad, its enclave on the Baltic Sea, to replace units lost in its invasion of Ukraine.
The UK MoD added: “This follows an uptick in losses of SA-21 air defence systems in Russian-occupied Ukraine in late October 2023.”
The MoD said that the move showed that Russia was so overstretched in Ukraine that it was having to accept additional risk to Kaliningrad, which is strategically important to Moscow and is bordered on three sides by NATO members.
Russia sent waves of kamikaze drones into Ukraine on Saturday in what the Ukrainian authorities said was the most intensive drone attack since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.
It has been reported that 24 drones attacked the Moscow region and three other provinces, with two Ukrainian missiles launched over the Azov Sea.
Russian forces are continuing their attempt to advance near Avdiivka, with the Ukrainian forces repelling their attacks.
The Ukrainian General Staff said that Russia had carried out air strikes in support of its ground operations in a bid to encircle the city.
Volodymyr Fitio, a spokesperson for the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has said that Russian forces are attempting to reoccupy the town of Kupiansk, in the Kharkiv region, saying: “The enemy intends to advance to the settlement of Sinkivka in order to develop their further success in the offensive on Kupiansk.”
Oleksandr Kamyshin, the Minister of Strategic Industries, which is the ministry in charge of Ukraine’s arms industry, has called for his country to become the “arsenal of the free world” and provide weapons for export.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said at the Grain from Ukraine summit on food security in Kyiv that his country needs more air defences to protect grain export routes.
Over 2,000 vehicles are unable to get into Ukraine because of a Polish blockade, with Ukraine’s infrastructure ministry saying that the flow of vehicles at the Dorohusk-Yahodyn crossing, which usually reaches nearly 700 vehicles every 24 hours, is down to a few dozen every day.
