These images show how Ukrainian special forces soldiers spotted a Russian 2S3 self-propelled gun and relayed its position to their colleagues in artillery, who took it out.
The footage shows the Russian war machine nestled among some trees before it is hit and destroyed by Ukrainian ordnance in an explosion causing it to erupt into a large fireball.
The images were obtained from the 73rd Naval Centre of Special Operations named after Kish otaman Antin Holovaty of the Special Operations Forces (SSO) Armed Forces of Ukraine on Tuesday, 28th November, along with a statement saying: “Southern direction: 2S3 ‘Akatia’ ACS destroyed.
“Operators of the 73rd Naval Centre in the southern operational direction discovered and identified a camouflaged enemy self-propelled artillery installation 2S3 ‘Akatia’.
“The soldiers of the SSO quickly transferred the coordinates to one of the artillery units of the Defence Forces and adjusted the fire.
“The enemy’s equipment was completely destroyed by a precise shot.
“Let’s go further!”
The images and statement were also relayed by the SSO 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 643rd day of the full-scale war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February 2022 and 28th November 2023, Russia had lost about 326,440 personnel, 5,523 tanks, 10,285 armoured combat vehicles, 7,876 artillery units, 907 multiple launch rocket systems, 597 air defence systems, 323 warplanes, 324 helicopters, 5,905 drones, 1,565 cruise missiles, 22 warships, 1 submarine, 10,302 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 1,113 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.
Snow, flooding and hurricane-force winds have hit southern Russia and the occupied Ukrainian territories of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson and Crimea.
At least five people have died and nearly 1500 towns and villages have suffered power cuts and up to 10 inches of snow in some locations.
Russia’s energy ministry has said that 1.9 million people have been affected by power cuts.
There are reportedly hopes that the severe weather could set back the Russian war effort.
Vitaliy Barabash, the head of Ukraine’s military administration in Avdiivka, has said that Russian forces are increasing their attempts to capture the city and trying to advance on all sides.
He said: “The Russians have opened up two more sectors from which they have begun making assaults – in the direction of Donetsk … and in the so-called industrial zone. The enemy is attempting to storm the city from all directions.”
The UK Ministry of Defence has said that Ukrainian estimates of Russian casualties are “plausible”.
With a daily average of nearly 1,000 Russian forces reported by Ukraine as killed or injured in November, this would make the month one of the deadliest for Russian forces.
Many of their losses stem from their attempts to take Avdiivka.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is attending a NATO session in Brussels today, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
The event includes the first meeting of foreign ministers of the NATO-Ukraine Council, which was created to improve cooperation and coordination and to help prepare Ukraine for becoming a member of the Western alliance.
Jens Stoltenberg, the Secretary-General of NATO, has said that Ukraine will become a member of NATO after the war, subject to reforms.
He added that NATO members still agree that full membership is impossible while the war with Russia is ongoing but efforts are ongoing to move Ukraine and NATO closer together.
Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s Foreign Minister, has said that he plans to travel to NATO member North Macedonia this week for a conference of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which includes 57 members including Russia.
NATO member Bulgaria has said that it has given Lavrov permission to fly through its airspace.
Lavrov, responding to remarks by the US Secretary of Defence last week that Russian President Vladimir Putin would not stop at Ukraine if Russia is victorious there, has insisted that Moscow does not have plans to expand its territory farther into Europe.
