These images show Ukrainian helicopters firing missiles at Russian positions near Bakhmut.
The footage, filmed from one of the Ukrainian helicopters, shows it firing its ordnance before breaking away, with a second Ukrainian helicopter seen flying nearby.
The images were obtained from the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Thursday, 19th October, along with a statement saying: “Army aviation is working. The Russians are well fed near Bakhmut.”
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February 2022 in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 603rd day of the full-scale war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February 2022 and 19th October 2023, Russia had lost about 290,680 personnel, 4,992 tanks, 9,437 armoured combat vehicles, 6,983 artillery units, 818 multiple launch rocket systems, 548 air defence systems, 320 warplanes, 324 helicopters, 5,318 drones, 1,534 cruise missiles, 20 warships, 1 submarine, 9,337 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 985 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that the US delivery of ATACMS long-range tactical ballistic missiles to Ukraine was “another mistake by the United States”.
Putin made the comments while speaking publicly for the first time since Ukrainian forces took out helicopters at two Russian airfields earlier this week.
Putin also claimed that delivering the missiles to Ukraine would simply “prolong [Ukraine’s] agony”.
Estonia’s Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said on Wednesday that photographs showing Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban shaking hands with Putin on Tuesday were “very, very unpleasant” and defied logic considering the country’s past with Russia.
Orban reportedly told Putin he never wanted to oppose Moscow and was trying to salvage bilateral relations.
Ukrainian officials have said that Russian attacks on the country in the past two days have killed at least 10 civilians in Ukraine and damaged Kharkiv’s power grid.
Gen Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, who is in charge of Ukraine’s military operations in the south of the country, has said that Ukrainian forces had had “partial success to the south of Robotyne.”
