This is the moment Ukrainian troops blitz a Russian base and reportedly destroy their headquarters, a warehouse and armoured vehicles.
The Ukrainian military said they used British-made M777 howitzers to destroy the Russian base.
The Ukrainian Centre for Strategic Communications (StratCom) said on 29th June: “Three howitzers (M777) on the occupiers’ armoured vehicles, headquarters and warehouse.”
Manufactured by the Global Combat Systems division of BAE Systems, the M777 is used by the ground forces of Australia, Canada, India, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine and the United States.
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin is calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 127th day of the invasion.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February and 30th June, Russia had lost about 35,600 personnel, 1,573 tanks, 3,726 armoured combat vehicles, 790 artillery units, 246 multiple launch rocket systems, 104 air defence systems, 217 warplanes, 185 helicopters, 641 drones, 143 cruise missiles, 14 warships, 2,602 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 61 units of special equipment.
NATO leaders have called Russia “the most significant and direct threat to allies’ security and stability” and announced a new “strategic concept” in response to President Vladimir Putin’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. NATO is planning to boost its quick reaction forces from 40,000 troops to over 300,000 troops.
US president Joe Biden announced that the US will increase its military forces across Europe.
NATO has also formally invited Sweden and Finland to become members of the alliance. The move comes after Turkey agreed to support Finland and Sweden’s NATO membership.
Turkey had initially opposed the countries’ bids to join the military alliance, accusing both of harbouring Kurdish militants.
But Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Finland’s President Sauli Niinisto and Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson at the NATO summit in Madrid and the three countries reached an agreement.
Jens Stoltenberg, the NATO Secretary General, said: “I am pleased to announce that we now have an agreement that paves the way for Finland and Sweden to join NATO.” NATO leaders have also pledged additional support to Kyiv, with the aim of modernising Ukraine’s defence sector.
President Biden congratulated the three countries, saying: “Congratulations to Finland, Sweden, and Turkey on signing a trilateral memorandum – a crucial step towards a NATO invite to Finland and Sweden, which will strengthen our Alliance and bolster our collective security – and a great way to begin the Summit.”
But President Putin said: “If Finland and Sweden wish to, they can join. That’s up to them. They can join whatever they want.”
The Russian bombing on a shopping mall in the central Ukrainian city of Kremenchuk has been described by President Zelenskyy as one of the “most brazen terrorist acts in European history”. Over 1,000 people are said to have been inside the building when it was hit by missiles. Eighteen people have so far been confirmed dead.
Speaking about the strike on the crowded shopping mall, Putin claimed: “Our army does not attack any civilian infrastructure site. We have every capability of knowing what is situated where.”
Russia claimed on Tuesday that it had hit a nearby weapons depot, with the explosion sparking the shopping mall blaze.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged the United Nations to visit the site and has demanded that Russia be expelled as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, accusing the country of having become a “terrorist state”.
Ukraine has said that it has completed the biggest prisoner exchange with Russia since the beginning of the war, with 144 of its soldiers released. They include 95 soldiers who defended the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol.
