This footage shows how Ukrainian artillery troops hunted down a Russian tank and blasted it to pieces after they tracked it to a hangar.
The footage, which appears to have been shot from a drone, shows how the Russian tank was tracked as it scurried down a road somewhere on the Ukrainian front lines before trying to hide in the hangar.
The hangar and the surrounding buildings can then be seen being blown up as they are targeted by Ukrainian artillery fire.
The footage was obtained from the 40th Artillery Brigade of the Ukrainian Ground Forces – also known as the 40th Separate Artillery Brigade named after Grand Duke Vytautas – on Thursday, 11th August, along with a statement saying: “Everything is going according to plan. Or as they say in the swamps… The demilitarisation continues.”
Ukrainian media reported that an American M777 howitzer was used to blow up the tank and the hangar.
Newsflash contacted the head of the public relations service of the Ground Forces Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Major Fityo Volodymyr, who confirmed that the footage was authentic and that the hangar and the Russian tank were destroyed. But he could not confirm whether or not an American M777 howitzer had been used.
The images were also relayed by the Office of Strategic Communications (StratCom) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine along with a statement in which they said: “The work of our gunners is very difficult, but the results of such work, as always, are impressive.”
They also said: “Together we will win! Glory to Ukraine and its soldiers! Death to the enemies!”
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 170th day of the war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February and 12th August, Russia had lost about 43,200 personnel, 1,849 tanks, 4,108 armoured combat vehicles, 975 artillery units, 261 multiple launch rocket systems, 136 air defence systems, 233 warplanes, 193 helicopters, 778 drones, 185 cruise missiles, 15 warships, 3,021 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 90 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower, but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures. The Pentagon said this week that Russia had suffered between 70,000 and 80,000 casualties – deaths and injuries – since the beginning of its invasion.
Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky has urged officials to stop talking to the media about Kyiv’s military strategy, saying that such remarks are “frankly irresponsible”.
Zelensky’s comments came after news outlets began citing anonymous officials as saying that Ukraine was behind the explosions that destroyed the Saky base in Russian-occupied Crimea, despite the Ukrainian government declining to confirm whether it was responsible for the blasts.
President Zelensky has vowed to liberate Crimea and said: “This Russian war against Ukraine and against the entire free Europe began with Crimea and must end with Crimea – with its liberation.”
British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has said that Russian President Vladimir Putin is now unlikely to succeed in occupying Ukraine, saying that Russia’s invasion had “faltered” and was “starting to fail”.
Ukrainian Brigadier General Oleksiy Hromov has said that Russia has doubled its air strikes on Ukrainian civilians and on military positions compared to last week.
The United Nations has urged for there to be a demilitarised zone around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant – Europe’s largest – as Russia and Ukraine continue to accuse each other of shelling the facility.
A United States State Department spokesperson said on Thursday that the US supports calls for there to be a demilitarised zone around the Zaporizhzhia plant.
Belarus has said that night-time explosions at one of its military bases, located some 20 miles from the Ukrainian border, had been caused by a “technical incident”.
