Ukrainian special forces soldiers have reportedly destroyed Russian multiple launch rocket systems near Bakhmut.
The footage reportedly shows the Russian war machines being hit by Ukrainian ordnance in huge explosions.
The images were obtained from the Command of the Special Operations Forces (SSO) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Tuesday, 4th July, along with a statement saying: “Three ‘Grads’ were destroyed in the Bakhmut area.
“Operators of one of the units of the Special Operations Forces during special reconnaissance discovered the location of three BM-21 ‘Grad’ units behind enemy lines.
“Coordinates were quickly transferred to comrades from the Defense Forces.
“All equipment and personnel were destroyed by ‘delicious’ hits of our artillery.”
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February 2022 in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 496th day of the full-scale war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February 2022 and 4th July 2023, Russia had lost about 231,030 personnel, 4,059 tanks, 7,908 armoured combat vehicles, 4,252 artillery units, 647 multiple launch rocket systems, 394 air defence systems, 315 warplanes, 309 helicopters, 3,602 drones, 1,264 cruise missiles, 18 warships, 6,843 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 590 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.
At least two people have been killed and 19 have been injured, including a five-year-old boy, after a Russian drone attack on the city of Sumy in northern Ukraine.
Ukraine said on Monday that its forces had retaken more land on the eastern and southern fronts, with President Volodymyr Zelensky saying that progress had been “difficult”.
Lynne Tracy, the US Ambassador to Russia, has met with Evan Gershkovich, the jailed Wall Street Journal reporter, in Moscow.
Zelensky and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called on Monday for the Black Sea grain deal to be extended.
Grigory Karasin, the head of the international committee in the Federation Council, which is Russia’s upper house of parliament, said on Sunday that Russia had brought 700,000 children from confidence in Ukraine into Russian territory.
An international office to investigate Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine opened in The Hague on Monday.
It is the first step towards setting up a tribunal to try the Russian authorities for war crimes.
Russian state media, quoting the head of the State Duma defence committee, Andrey Kartapolov, said on Monday that the country did not need to begin a new mobilisation effort to replace Wagner fighters who have left the battlefields of Ukraine.
The Russian-installed leader of occupied Kherson, Andrey Alekseyenko, has said that damage to the Chongar Bridge, which links Kherson to Crimea has now been repaired.
