These images reportedly show a Russian sniper taking out Ukrainian soldiers in the Bakhmut area of the frontlines.
The footage shows the Russian sniper opening fire from a building, with the images then cutting to a Ukrainian soldier apparently being hit.
The images then appear to show the Russian sniper taking out at least one other Ukrainian soldier.
The images were obtained from the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Sunday, 19th November, along with a statement claiming: “One cartridge is enough: the combat work of Airborne Forces snipers in the Artemovsk [Bakhmut] direction.”
The Russian MoD added: “Sniper pairs of reconnaissance units of the Airborne Forces daily destroy Ukrainian nationalists trying to approach our positions in the Artemovsk area. The fighters conduct aimed fire from a distance of more than 1,000 metres, changing position after each shot.”
We have not been able to independently verify the claims or the footage.
The images and statement come after Ukrainian intelligence said that a Ukrainian sniper took out a Russian soldier from a distance of 3.8 kilometres (2.36 miles), which if confirmed, would be a world record.
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February 2022 in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 635th day of the full-scale war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February 2022 and 20th November 2023, Russia had lost about 319,210 personnel, 5,439 tanks, 10,168 armoured combat vehicles, 7,748 artillery units, 899 multiple launch rocket systems, 588 air defence systems, 323 warplanes, 324 helicopters, 5,764 drones, 1,563 cruise missiles, 22 warships, 1 submarine, 10,127 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 1,097 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.
The Ukrainian army has said that it has pushed Russian forces “three to eight kilometres” from the banks of the Dnipro River in southern Ukraine.
If confirmed, it would be the most significant advance by Ukraine’s forces in months.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed the command of his military’s medical forces, Major General Tetiana Ostashchenko.
Zelensky said following a meeting with Defence Minister Rustem Umerov that “new priorities had been set”.
He also said: “There is little time left to wait for results. Quick action is needed for forthcoming changes.”
The Ukrainian authorities have said that about 3,000 lorries, including vehicles carrying fuel and humanitarian aid, were stuck at the Polish border on Sunday due to a blockade by Polish truckers that has lasted over 10 days.
Polish truckers are protesting what they see as inaction from their government over a loss of business to foreign competitors since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The Mayor of Moscow, Sergei Sobyanin, said that air defence units in the Russian capital intercepted a drone targeting the city late on Sunday evening.
The Ukrainian military has said that it shot down 15 out of 20 Iranian-made Shahed drones launched by Russia and targeting the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and the Cherkasy and Poltava region on the night of Saturday to Sunday.
