Russia has said that it has fired a nuclear-capable ballistic missile at Ukrainian military infrastructure.

The footage begins by reportedly showing a camouflaged Iskander ballistic missile system, with Russian soldiers seen removing the camo netting before the vehicle can be seen manoeuvring in a forested area.

The Russian soldiers can then be seen opening the vehicle’s deployment system, with one of the missile launchers then moving into position, ready to fire, with the forest clearly visible in the background.

A soldier then pushes a button, with the images then cutting to what appears to be an Iskander ballistic missile system visible in a snow-covered field.

It can be seen firing one of its missiles into the sky as the footage ends.

The images were obtained from the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Monday, 12th December, along with a statement claiming: “In the course of the special military operation, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue to strike with high-precision weapons at the military infrastructure of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

“One of the means of delivering combat cargo is the missiles of the operational-tactical missile systems (OTRK) ‘Iskander’, which are successfully used by the troops of the Western Military District (ZVO). The divisions of these complexes are on round-the-clock combat duty and are ready at any time to complete the assigned combat mission.”

The Russian MoD also claimed: “The OTRK ‘Iskander’ refers to high-precision weapons with a range of up to 500 kilometres [310 miles]. The warhead of the missile can destroy almost any target: command posts, equipment columns, and enemy air defence systems. The OTRK’s arsenal includes both ballistic and cruise missiles, which, on approaching the target, cause electronic interference. They can go at ultra-low altitudes and bend around the terrain.”

We have not been able to independently verify the claims or the footage.

The 9K720 Iskander is a mobile short-range ballistic missile system produced and deployed by the Russian military. The system is capable of firing nuclear warheads, as well as conventional ordnance, including bunker busters.

Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 289th day of the war.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February and 12th December, Russia had lost about 94,760 personnel, 2,966 tanks, 5,928 armoured combat vehicles, 1,929 artillery units, 397 multiple launch rocket systems, 211 air defence systems, 281 warplanes, 264 helicopters, 1,617 drones, 592 cruise missiles, 16 warships, 4,544 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 169 units of special equipment.

Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.

Serhiy Haidai, the Governor-in-exile of the Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine, has said that Ukrainian forces have hit the headquarters of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group, a hotel in the city of Kadiivka.

Ukraine attacked a barracks in the Russian-occupied city of Melitopol, in the Zaporizhzhia region of south-eastern Ukraine, over the weekend.

Ukrainian sources have said that there have been numerous Russian casualties as a result, with witnesses saying that they heard 10 explosions during the attack, which was reportedly carried out using HIMARS rockets.

The strikes on the city were reportedly part of a wider wave of attacks on several Russian bases.

Emergency crews are working around the clock to ease electricity shortages all over Ukraine after further Russian attacks.

Russian forces reportedly used Iranian-made drones on Saturday to hit two electricity plants in Odesa, leaving 1.5 million people without power.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Odesa, a key port city, was undergoing frequent blackouts and that the capital Kyiv was still experiencing “very difficult” conditions.

Local authorities in Kherson said that two people have been killed and another five wounded after Russian troops shelled the area.

Governor Yaroslav Yanushevich said: “The enemy again attacked the residential quarters of Kherson.”

He said that the Russian forces had hit a maternity ward, a cafe and apartment buildings on Saturday.

President Zelensky has thanked US President Joe Biden for the “unprecedented defence and financial assistance” of the United States, saying: “It helps not only to succeed on the battlefield, but also to maintain the stability of our nation’s economy.”

He added that Russian missile strikes had destroyed approximately 50 per cent of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

A neo-Nazi paramilitary group with ties to the Kremlin has reportedly asked its members to provide intelligence reports on border and military activity in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, which used to be part of the Soviet Union and are now part of NATO.

‘Task Force Rusich’, who are currently fighting in Ukraine on behalf of Moscow and who also have ties to the Wagner Group asked that members send information relating to border posts and military movements in the three Baltic states.