These images show Ukrainian special forces destroying a Russian Msta-B howitzer near Bakhmut.
The footage shows the Russian war machine being hit by the Ukrainian ordnance before it is seen on fire and burning profusely.
The images were obtained from the 3rd Separate Regiment of the SpP named after Prince Svyatoslav the Brave of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Wednesday, 20th September, along with a statement saying: “The ‘Msta-B’ howitzer with the ‘Krasnopolye’ ammunition set was destroyed by the Special Operations Forces (SSO) warriors.
“Thanks to the successful cooperation between SSO operators and the artillery of the Defence Forces, this carefully camouflaged target was hit in the Bahmut direction.
“Another successful operation for target search, identification, and fire adjustment was carried out by the tactical group ‘Medoidy’ of the 3rd Separate SSO regiment.
“As additional information, the ‘Krasnopolye’ ammunition is equipped with a rocket engine and can target armoured objectives using laser guidance, which allows illuminating the target depending on the time of day and target size at distances of up to 20 kilometres. The market value of such a projectile reaches USD 40,000.”
The images were also relayed by the Office of Strategic Communications (StratCom) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine along with a statement saying: “In the Bakhmut direction, thanks to the joint work of the operators of the ‘Medoids’ tactical group of the 3rd Separate Regiment of the SSO and the artillery of the Defence Forces, the ‘Msta-B’ cannon with a set of ‘Krasnopol’ shells was discovered and destroyed.”
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February 2022 in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 574th day of the full-scale war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February 2022 and 20th September 2023, Russia had lost about 273,980 personnel, 4,635 tanks, 8,868 armoured combat vehicles, 6,096 artillery units, 779 multiple launch rocket systems, 526 air defence systems, 315 warplanes, 316 helicopters, 4,821 drones, 1,479 cruise missiles, 20 warships, 1 submarine, 8,633 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 906 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky asked world leaders at the General Assembly of the United Nations on Tuesday to stand united against Moscow’s invasion of his country and to push back so that the world could focus on solving other global challenges.
The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, said that Russia was creating a “world of insecurity” with its invasion of Ukraine, adding that this had “unleashed the next phase of our lives: historic human rights abuse, families torn apart, children traumatised, hopes and dreams shattered.”
Joe Biden, the US president, said that the United Nations meeting was “darkened by the shadow of war”, which he said was an “illegal war of conquest without provocation by Russia.”
Ukraine has asked three of its neighbours, European Union members Poland, Slovakia and Hungary, for “constructive dialogue” to find a solution to a dispute over agricultural trade.
The US Secretary of Defence, Lloyd Austin, has said that air defence will continue to be Ukraine’s “greatest need” to fight Russia.
He said: “Air defence will continue to be Ukraine’s greatest need to protect the skies, its civilians, and its cities as well as innocent people far away from the battlefield.”
The British government will supply “tens of thousands” of rounds of artillery to Ukraine this year, it said on Tuesday.
Two people have been killed after Russian ordnance hit the Ukrainian cities of Lviv and Kherson overnight.
Ukraine’s Air Force said that Russia had launched 30 drones and one ballistic missile at it in an overnight attack, adding that 27 of the drones had been shot down.
