These images show Ukrainian military forces dragging away a captured Russian war machine using a tractor.
The footage shows a blue tractor pulling what appears to be an armoured personnel carrier down a dirt track and along a road.
A Ukrainian soldier can be seen driving the tractor, with another serviceman behind the wheel of the seized vehicle, while another fighter can be seen sitting on top of it as it is escorted by three more soldiers.
The vehicle can be seen sporting a white ‘Z’ on its side. The ‘Z’ is one of the symbols, as well as the letters ‘V’ and ‘O’ that can be seen painted on Russian military vehicles taking part in the invasion of Ukraine.
The exact type of vehicle was not immediately clear but it appears to be an armoured personnel carrier.
The footage was obtained from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Tuesday, 12th July, with them saying that they had seized “another trophy”.
The footage was also relayed by the Command of the United Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine, as well as by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, which is the Ukrainian parliament.
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin is calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 140th day of the invasion.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February and 13th July, Russia had lost about 37,570 personnel, 1,649 tanks, 3,832 armoured combat vehicles, 839 artillery units, 247 multiple launch rocket systems, 109 air defence systems, 217 warplanes, 188 helicopters, 678 drones, 155 cruise missiles, 15 warships, 2,704 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 67 units of special equipment.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Russia “doesn’t have the courage” to admit defeat. He has also mocked Russia for apparently relying on ageing weaponry. He also said that the outcome of the war was certain, thanks to the unity of his people and the strength of Ukraine’s military forces.
Grain shipments via the River Danube have increased, with a canal being reopened. An increased number of foreign ships are now able to reach Ukrainian ports to help export grain. Deputy Infrastructure Minister Yuriy Vaskov has said that the number of foreign ships has doubled. Ukraine has also reopened a decommissioned port.
Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov has hinted at plans to put together a “million-strong army” equipped with NATO weaponry to fight Russian troops, but the comments have been viewed more as a rallying cry than a concrete plan.
Reznikov has said that Western weaponry needs to be delivered to Ukraine faster. He said that for every day that they have to wait for howitzers to arrive, they can lose up to 100 soldiers.
The US treasury announced on Tuesday that it was sending an additional USD 1.7 billion in economic aid to Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to visit Iran next week to hold talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The meeting comes as the US accuses Iran of preparing to provide Russia with hundreds of military drones for use in Ukraine.
Germany and the Czech Republic have signed a joint declaration, vowing to overcome their dependency on Russian fossil fuels and to speed up the transition to low-carbon energy.
President Putin has signed a decree that makes it easier for Ukrainian citizens to acquire Russian citizenship.
