These images show Ukrainian forces taking Russian trenches in a forested area near Bakhmut using grenades, drone bombs and a tank.
The footage shows grenades being thrown and drone bombs being dropped in trenches in a forested area of the frontlines.
Russian soldiers can be seen seeking shelter as the drone bombs fall all around them, with some seen dead in the images.
The footage also shows a Ukrainian tank opening fire on the Russian positions and causing large explosions.
A Ukrainian soldier can be seen taking a break after the action as the footage ends.
The images were obtained from the 30th Separate Mechanized Brigade named after Prince Konstantin Ostrozky on Wednesday, 28th June, along with a statement saying: “You can’t hide from the 30 OMBr drone!
“Near Bakhmut, the occupier was hiding in the forest, in a trench, under trees and camouflage nets… But even there, our fighters found him and punished him for his uninvited visit to Ukraine.”
The images were also relayed by the Office of Strategic Communications (StratCom) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February 2022 in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 490th day of the full-scale war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February 2022 and 28th June 2023, Russia had lost about 227,100 personnel, 4,036 tanks, 7,847 armoured combat vehicles, 4,089 artillery units, 627 multiple launch rocket systems, 387 air defence systems, 314 warplanes, 308 helicopters, 3,499 drones, 1,261 cruise missiles, 18 warships, 6,774 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 563 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has said that the Alliance is ready to defend itself from both Belarus and Russia after calls from member countries bordering them asked the Alliance to strengthen its eastern defences.
Stoltenberg said that it was “too early to make any final judgment about the consequences” regarding Wagner mercenary organisation Yevgeny Prigozhin moving to Belarus.
But he added that “what is absolutely clear is that we have sent a clear message to Moscow and to Minsk that NATO is there to protect every ally and every inch of NATO territory.”
Poland’s President Andrzej Duda said on Tuesday: “We see what is happening, the relocation of Russian forces in the form of the Wagner group to Belarus, and the head of the Wagner group going there, those are all very negative signals for us which we want to raise strongly with our allies.”
Prigozhin reportedly flew into exile in Belarus on his private jet on Tuesday, with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko saying: “Yes, indeed, he is in Belarus today.”
Moscow has announced plans for the Wagner organisation to begin disarming, handing over weapons, vehicles and equipment.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the mercenary organisation had been entirely financed by the Russian state to the tune of USD 1 billion between May 2022 of May 2023.
Putin told members of Russia’s security forces on Tuesday that they had prevented “a civil war”.
He added: “The people and the army were not on the side of the mutineers.”
A Russian missile strike has hit a number of buildings in the city of Kramatorsk in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region, with nine people reported dead at the time of writing including three children.
At least 56 other people were injured in the Russian strike, according to the Ukrainian emergency services.
The United Nations Human Rights Office said on Tuesday that Russian forces have carried out the widespread and systematic torture of civilians who have been detained in connection with Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
