The pro-Russian Donetsk People’s Republic has said that its special forces have destroyed a column of Ukrainian armoured vehicles.
These images purport to show the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) opening fire on the Ukrainian vehicles with anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs), with subsequent images apparently showing some of them destroyed.
The images were obtained from the People’s Militia of the DPR on Tuesday, 25th October, along with a statement claiming: “Cemetery of Armoured Vehicles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine – the result of the work of the scouts of the special forces battalion.
“The enemy was identified using thermal imagers and destroyed using ATGMs. The enemy continues to send more and more new equipment into suicidal attacks on the scouts – now five units of the broken equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are left standing in this area.”
We have not been able to independently verify the claims or the footage.
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 245th day of the war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February and 26th October, Russia had lost about 68,900 personnel, 2,628 tanks, 5,351 armoured combat vehicles, 1,686 artillery units, 379 multiple launch rocket systems, 192 air defence systems, 271 warplanes, 248 helicopters, 1,379 drones, 350 cruise missiles, 16 warships, 4,076 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 149 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.
At least 15 Russian missile strikes have killed seven civilians and injured three more people in Donetsk in the last day.
Russia is taking its allegations that Ukraine is preparing to use a “dirty bomb” on its own territory to the United Nations Security Council amid concerns from Western and Ukrainian officials that it is a pretext to escalate the war.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said that Moscow’s “dirty bomb” allegations were preparation for a “false flag” operation.
Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, has reiterated his pledge to retake the city of Kherson in southern Ukraine.
Britain’s new Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, has promised President Zelensky that the United Kingdom’s support for Ukraine will be “as strong as ever”.
The European Commission has urged EU firms and countries to give more money and equipment to support the Ukrainian energy sector, over a third of which has been destroyed by Russian strikes.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has urged his government to produce weapons faster to supply Moscow’s forces in Ukraine.
Putin chaired a new committee on Tuesday that is geared towards accelerating the production and delivery of weapons and supplies for the Russian military, stressing the need to “gain higher tempo in all areas”.
