Russia has said that its paratroopers and T-80 tank crews have captured a Ukrainian stronghold.
The footage begins by showing a Russian tank advancing through a forested area, with the images then cutting to a tank opening fire, reportedly on Ukrainian positions.
A war machine understood to be a BMD-4M infantry fighting vehicle can then be seen opening fire as the footage ends.
The images were obtained from the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Thursday, 16th March, along with a statement claiming: “The reconnaissance group of the Airborne Forces, using a UAV, discovered a platoon stronghold of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the forest.”
The Russian MoD added: “To capture and destroy it, an air assault unit was sent with the support of an armoured group on BMD-4M airborne combat vehicles and T-80 tanks.
“Having made the march, the crews of combat vehicles and tanks approached the enemy and opened heavy fire on him.
“Acting professionally, resolutely and well-coordinated, showing courage and bravery, the soldiers of the ‘winged infantry’, with the support of an armoured group firing from the armament of airborne combat vehicles and tanks, immediately captured the enemy’s defensive positions, destroying a large number of personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and capturing captured weapons.
“After completing the assigned task, the armoured group promptly retreated to a safe area.”
We have not been able to independently verify the claims or the footage.
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February 2022 in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 386th day of the full-scale war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February 2022 and 16th March 2023, Russia had lost about 162,560 personnel, 3,504 tanks, 6,810 armoured combat vehicles, 2,539 artillery units, 503 multiple launch rocket systems, 265 air defence systems, 305 warplanes, 289 helicopters, 2,145 drones, 907 cruise missiles, 18 warships, 5,394 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 257 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.
Russia has said that it will attempt to retrieve the wreckage of a US military drone that crashed into the Black Sea after an encounter with two Russian fighter jets.
The US has said that the debris could be in waters so deep that any recovery would be impossible.
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and his US counterpart Lloyd Austin held a rare phone call on Wednesday to discuss the incident.
Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, said that the incident was “being investigated”, while the UK Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace, said Russia had acted “unprofessionally”.
Andriy Yermak, the head of the Ukrainian president’s office, said that the country’s ground forces had shot down a Russian fighter jet near the eastern city of Bakhmut.
Russia’s Ministry of Defence will reportedly start a new recruitment campaign in April with the aim of enrolling 400,000 soldiers into the Russian army.
Turkish officials have reportedly said that their country’s parliament is “highly likely” to ratify Finland’s membership bid to join NATO before the middle of April.
