These images show Ukrainian air defence taking out a Russian Orlan-10 drone.
The footage shows the Ukrainian air defence system firing one of its missiles into the air and hitting the drone
The images were obtained from the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade Kholodny Yar on Sunday, 2nd July, along with a statement saying: “We congratulate the air defence units of the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade ‘Kholodny Yar’ on a professional holiday – the Day of the Air Defence Forces of Ukraine.
“Endurance and patience, because you hold the sky above our queen of the fields.
“Thank you for effectively cleaning the Ukrainian sky from Russian garbage.
“According to today’s calculations, the Strela-10 air defence system of our anti-aircraft missile and artillery division destroyed two Orlan-10 enemy UAVs.
“Every shot is on target.”
The images were also relayed by the Office of Strategic Communications (StratCom) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine along with a statement saying: “Two enemy Orlan-10 UAVs were destroyed by the Strela-10 air defence system of the anti-aircraft missile artillery division of the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade ‘Kholodny Yar’.”
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February 2022 in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 495th day of the full-scale war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February 2022 and 3rd July 2023, Russia had lost about 230,260 personnel, 4,057 tanks, 7,899 armoured combat vehicles, 4,220 artillery units, 641 multiple launch rocket systems, 391 air defence systems, 315 warplanes, 309 helicopters, 3,573 drones, 1,264 cruise missiles, 18 warships, 6,834 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 590 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.
Energy companies TotalEnergies and Shell have defended their activities in Russia after a report emerged criticising their involvement in the natural gas trade despite the war in Ukraine.
The Global Witness report said that TotalEnergies and Shell were the third and fourth largest operators in the Russian liquefied natural gas industry last year, behind two Russian companies.
Both companies said on Sunday that they were tied to ongoing agreements despite pulling out of Russian partnerships after the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine last year.
Ukraine has said that Russian forces are making advances in four areas on the eastern front, with Kyiv reporting that its forces are capturing territory in the south.
The Ukrainian Deputy Defence Minister, Hanna Maliar, said on Sunday: “Fierce fighting is going on everywhere”.
Dmitry Kiselev, one of Russia’s main propagandists, said on his weekly television show on Sunday that Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin had gone “off the rails” because of “big money”.
Poland’s Interior Minister Mariusz Kaminski has said that his country will send 500 police officers to its border with Belarus.
The move follows an announcement by Warsaw that it was typing and security as a result of concerns regarding the Wagner group’s presence in Belarus.
Award-winning writer and war crimes researcher Victoria Amelina, 37, has died after being injured in the Russian missile strike on Kramatorsk last Tuesday that destroyed a pizza restaurant in the eastern Ukrainian city.
The attack killed 12 other people, including four children, and wounded dozens of others.
