Russia has said that its paratroopers have taken out a military settlement near Bakhmut and captured Ukrainian soldiers.
The footage purports to show the Ukrainian position being hit by Russian ordnance, with a Ukrainian soldier seen trying to hide.
The images then show what appears to be dead Ukrainian soldiers on the ground.
The video then apparently shows Russian soldiers advancing on the settlement and taking Ukrainian soldiers prisoner.
The images were obtained from the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Wednesday, 12th July, along with a statement saying: “Paratroopers of the Ivanovo formation clean up settlements near Artyomovsk [Bakhmut] from Ukrainian Nazis”.
The Russian MoD added: “The Russian Ministry of Defence is publishing footage of the combat work of the assault group of the Ivanovo Airborne Forces unit to clean up one of the settlements on the northern flank of the Artemovsky [Bakhmut] direction.
“In the course of conducting active defence north of Artemovsk [Bakhmut], assault paratrooper units successfully carry out the tasks of destroying Ukrainian formations trying to bypass the city from the north.
“After inflicting fire damage with rocket artillery, assault groups of paratroopers advanced to the settlement where the militants took refuge.
“The ‘Storm’ unit imperceptibly approached from several directions to the house with the servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Competent and decisive actions of our paratroopers forced the soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to come out of hiding, lay down their arms and surrender.”
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 504th day of the full-scale war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February 2022 and 12th July 2023, Russia had lost about 235,530 personnel, 4,090 tanks, 7,990 armoured combat vehicles, 4,402 artillery units, 674 multiple launch rocket systems, 415 air defence systems, 315 warplanes, 310 helicopters, 3,726 drones, 1,271 cruise missiles, 18 warships, 6,978 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 647 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.
NATO countries have said in a communique that Ukraine can join the Alliance “when allies agree and conditions are met”, recognising a need to move faster, although it did not provide a timeframe.
NATO said: “Allies will continue to support and review Ukraine’s progress on interoperability as well as additional democratic and security sector reforms that are required.”
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said that there appears to be “no readiness” to invite his country into the alliance.
He had said shortly before the communique was released: “A window of opportunity is being left to bargain Ukraine’s membership in NATO negotiations with Russia. Uncertainties weakness.”
Zelensky said that he had “faith” but no confidence in NATO’s decision.
Before the communique was published, he had said that it would be “absurd” if Ukraine was not invited into NATO.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had said shortly before he flew to the two-day NATO summit that “Ukraine’s rightful place is in NATO”.
Germany told the United Nations Security Council in a letter with Sweden and Denmark that it had found traces of explosives on a yacht that it believes “may have been used to transport the explosives” used to blow up the Nord Stream gas pipelines in September.
Stanislav Rzhitsky, 42, a senior Russian draft officer who was also a submarine commander that Ukraine accused of deadly strikes on its territory, was shot dead on Monday while jogging in Krasnodar, in southern Russia.
The Russian FSB security service said on Tuesday that a 64-year-old male suspect had been arrested.
The British government will provide Ukraine with a support package for equipment repair and to set up in military rehabilitation centre, it said on Tuesday.
France’s President Emmanuel Macron has said that his country will begin providing Ukraine with long-range Scalp missiles.
Macron said: “I have decided to increase deliveries of weapons and equipment to enable the Ukrainians to have the capacity to strike deeply while keeping our doctrine to allow Ukraine to defend its territory.”
Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson, was critical of the NATO summit and of France’s offer of longer-range missiles.
