These images purport to show mobilised Russian soldiers training to use live artillery rounds fired from self-propelled howitzers and Grad multiple launch rocket systems in freezing Murmansk in north-western Russia.
The images reportedly show the fresh Russian soldiers practising firing from the war machines, with some other soldiers seen reloading the self-propelled howitzers before the Grad MLRS vehicles can be seen firing their ordnance.
The images were obtained from the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Friday, 18th November, along with a statement claiming: “Artillerymen of a separate motorized rifle brigade of the Northern Fleet continue training military personnel called up from the reserve at training grounds in the Murmansk region.
“When conducting classes, officers of artillery units who have experience in participating in a special military operation pass it on to servicemen called up from the reserve.
“During practical training with live firing, artillerymen perform measures for deploying into battle formation by taking up firing positions and working out skills in preparing Akatsia self-propelled artillery mounts, as well as Grad multiple rocket launchers for firing.
“Before the practical exercises, the military personnel were given theoretical classes, stages of individual training and coordination of crews.
“A serviceman called up from the reserve, Yevgeny noted that the classes are going smoothly, all the personnel are striving to master the technique and show accurate shooting. He also noted that all the required monetary allowance is received in full and within the time limits established by law. […]”
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 268th day of the war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February and 18th November, Russia had lost about 83,460 personnel, 2,879 tanks, 5,808 armoured combat vehicles, 1,865 artillery units, 393 multiple launch rocket systems, 209 air defence systems, 278 warplanes, 261 helicopters, 1,536 drones, 480 cruise missiles, 16 warships, 4,366 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 161 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 has said that 10 million people in Ukraine are without electricity after renewed Russian missile strikes on the country’s energy infrastructure on Thursday morning.
The first snow has fallen on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, with the authorities saying that they are working to restore electricity across the country after Moscow carried out what Ukraine said was the heaviest bombardment of civilian infrastructure since the beginning of the war.
The Ukrainian military has said that Russian forces have fired with artillery on the towns of Bakhmut and Soledar in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region.
They said that the region is experiencing its heaviest fighting since the beginning of the war after Russian forces were reinforced by soldiers that have been pulled out from Kherson city in the south of Ukraine.
Ukrainian officials have said that Russia has carried out strikes on critical infrastructure in Dnipro and Odesa. Two people have also reportedly been killed in a missile attack on the south-eastern region of Zaporizhzhia, with three more people wounded in an attack on the city of Kharkiv in north-eastern Ukraine.
Ukrainian investigators have said that they have uncovered 63 bodies who were killed by Russian soldiers and bear signs of torture in recaptured territories, according to Ukraine’s Interior Minister Denys Monastyrsky.
The Ministry of Defence of the United Kingdom has said that Russian missile strikes that hit Ukraine on Tuesday were probably the largest number carried out by Moscow in a single day since the first week of the invasion in late February.
