These images purport to show Russian paratroopers setting up anti-tank and antipersonnel mines near Bakhmut at night that then blew up Western-made Ukrainian war machines.
The video appears to show Russian soldiers carefully setting up mines at night.
The footage then cuts to what appears to be drone footage of Ukrainian military vehicles being blown up by the mines.
The images were obtained from the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Thursday, 13th July, along with a statement claiming: “Paratroopers of the Tula formation mine the paths to our positions.”
The Russian MoD added: “Every night, sappers from the Tula airborne unit carry out the difficult and dangerous work of mining the front line of our defences.
“After recent attempts by Ukrainian units to break through to our positions, it is necessary to update the minefields in front of our front line.
“Under the cover of night, our sappers-paratroopers are put forward to carry out this difficult and dangerous task, who manually, metre by metre, install anti-tank and anti-personnel minefields.
“In two hours, the fighters laid more than 400 anti-tank and anti-personnel mines and returned safely to the base area.
“The reliable security of our positions was once again confirmed by the next day, when a large number of Ukranazis and their equipment, including those of Western production, were blown up in the established minefields.”
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 505th day of the full-scale war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February 2022 and 13th July 2023, Russia had lost about 236,040 personnel, 4,092 tanks, 7,999 armoured combat vehicles, 4,425 artillery units, 678 multiple launch rocket systems, 421 air defence systems, 315 warplanes, 310 helicopters, 3,752 drones, 1,271 cruise missiles, 18 warships, 6,995 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 652 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.
A NATO summit in Vilnius concluded on Wednesday with US President Joe Biden saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin was “craven” and promising Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky full support.
This is despite NATO not inviting Ukraine into the alliance for the time being. Biden also said that Putin had sorely underestimated the alliance’s resolve.
Zelensky said: “This is very important. For the first time since our independence, we have established a foundation of security for Ukraine on its path to NATO.”
He added: “These are concrete security guarantees confirmed by the world’s top seven democracies. Never before have we had such a security base and it is at the level of the G7.”
The Ukrainian president also said: “We have removed any doubts or ambiguity about whether Ukraine will be in NATO. It will be.”
British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said that “people want to see a bit of gratitude” and Ukraine should put greater emphasis on thanking its Western allies for their assistance, when asked about President Zelensky’s complaint on Tuesday that his country had not been provided with a timetable for joining the alliance.
But UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak distanced himself from his Defence Secretary’s comments, saying that Zelensky had expressed its gratitude to the United Kingdom for its support.
Zelensky, meanwhile, said that he did not understand Wallace’s comments.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that Sweden’s accession to NATO would not be put before the Turkish parliament until autumn when it reopens.
