These images purport to show Russian Marine Corps soldiers training mobilised troops to use armoured personnel carriers on the beaches of the Kaliningrad region between Poland and Lithuania.
The footage begins by apparently showing a heavy machine gun being loaded with ammunition on top of an armoured personnel carrier before its crew climbs aboard and it begins moving, opening fire at mock targets in the water, on the Kaliningrad coast.
The armoured personnel carrier (APC) can be seen moving on a beach and shooting at the mock target, first with its heavy machine gun and then with its long gun.
The images were obtained from the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Wednesday, 7th December, along with a statement claiming: “The Marine Corps of the Baltic Fleet in the Kaliningrad region continues to train crews of BTR-82A armoured personnel carriers, consisting of mobilised citizens.
“On the coast in the Kaliningrad region, the crews of military vehicles are gradually undergoing a training course, which includes driving and performing a course of combat firing from armoured personnel carriers.
“In order to speed up the adaptation of military personnel to the combat situation, all classes at the training ground are held under the guidance of experienced instructors who share their rich combat experience.
“Classes are organised taking into account the experience of conducting the special military operation.
“Training is carried out in stages – from single training of driver-mechanics to the performance of tasks by a separate crew together with the landing force.
“Servicemen improve their skills in driving armoured personnel carriers over rough terrain, and also practice firing from armoured personnel carriers at various targets, including surface targets in the Baltic Sea.
“Citizens called up from the reserve as part of the partial mobilisation also take a course on knowledge of the main components and weapons of combat vehicles.
“All those who arrived from the reserve had previously served in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. A number of servicemen have combat experience.
“The quality of training and the restoration of skills determine the further process of combat coordination of units and their ability to solve assigned tasks.”
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 287th day of the war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February and 7th December, Russia had lost about 92,740 personnel, 2,935 tanks, 5,909 armoured combat vehicles, 1,923 artillery units, 395 multiple launch rocket systems, 211 air defence systems, 281 warplanes, 264 helicopters, 1,601 drones, 592 cruise missiles, 16 warships, 4,526 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 163 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.
The governor of the Russian region of Kursk Oblast, Roman Starovoyt has said that a drone attack has set fire to an oil storage tank at an airfield some 280 kilometres (175 miles) from the Ukrainian border.
The attack comes a day after two military airfields were also reportedly attacked deep inside Russia’s territory.
One of the attacks reportedly hit the Engels airfield in the Saratov region, which is where Russia houses some of its strategic nuclear bombers.
Kyiv has not directly claimed responsibility for the attacks, with the United States saying on Tuesday that it had not “enabled” Ukraine to carry out strikes inside Russia.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said: “We have neither encouraged nor enabled the Ukrainians to strike inside of Russia.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly convened his Security Council following the alleged drone strikes.
The Kremlin has said that Putin has met with senior officials to discuss “domestic security”, adding that Moscow was taking “necessary” steps to protect itself from further attacks.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has said that he agrees with Blinken that there needs to be peace in Ukraine, but he added that Russia does not see peace talks as a possible option “at the moment”.
Peskov added that for peace talks to be able to take place, Russia would first need to achieve the goals of its “special military operation”.
The Ministry of Health of Ukraine has requested that regional authorities suspend non-essential surgeries at the country’s hospitals due to the ongoing power blackouts caused by waves of Russian missile strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
EU officials have said that they will make sure that Ukraine gets EUR 18 billion in financial aid. The move comes after Hungary said it would block the funds from being released, with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban also accused of “holding hostage” funds destined for Ukraine’s hospitals.
Orban’s government has been accused of “cynical obstructionism” after Hungary said on Tuesday that it would block the EUR 18 billion in aid.
