These images purport to show Russian warships firing cruise missiles at mock targets in the Sea of Japan.
The footage reportedly shows a number of Russian warships firing multiple cruise missiles while navigating in icy waters.
The images were obtained from the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Tuesday, 28th March, along with a statement claiming: “In the waters of the Sea of Japan, missile boats of the Pacific Fleet fired Moskit cruise missiles at a sea target of a mock enemy.
“A missile boat attack group consisting of two boats launched a joint missile attack on a sea shield that imitated a mock enemy warship.
“The target, located at a distance of about 100 kilometres, was successfully hit by a direct hit from two Moskit cruise missiles.
“The safety of the combat exercise was ensured by surface ships and aircraft of the naval aviation of the Pacific Fleet.”
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 398th day of the full-scale war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February 2022 and 28th March 2023, Russia had lost about 171,730 personnel, 3,602 tanks, 6,966 armoured combat vehicles, 2,653 artillery units, 525 multiple launch rocket systems, 277 air defence systems, 305 warplanes, 291 helicopters, 2,235 drones, 911 cruise missiles, 18 warships, 5,502 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 287 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.
Eighteen much-awaited Leopard 2 main battle tanks that Germany promised to provide Ukraine with have reportedly been handed over to Ukrainian forces, along with 40 Marder infantry fighting vehicles.
The cutting-edge German tanks join British Challenger 2 main battle tanks which have already arrived, according to Ukrainian reports.
Vitaliy Klitschko, the Mayor of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, said that explosions were reported in the city on Monday night.
No casualties have been reported and Ukrainian air defence said they had shot down all the drones involved.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has told the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, that Ukraine could only guarantee safety at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant after Russian forces withdraw.
The pair met on Monday to discuss the situation at Europe’s largest nuclear power plant and according to Grossi they had a “rich exchange”.
Zelensky’s office said that he had visited “advanced positions in the Zaporizhzhia region on Monday, learning about the operational situation and presenting awards to the military.”
Western companies selling their business operations in Russia and leaving the country now face a compulsory 10 per cent direct donation to the Russian government after a ruling by Russia’s foreign investment commission.
The United Nations Security Council declined on Monday a Russian request to investigate who was behind the explosions that hit the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
Russia, China and Brazil all voted in favour but the motion failed to gain the nine votes required to be carried forward.
The US Deputy Ambassador, Robert Wood, said that there was no need for a separate investigation as there are already other investigations underway.
The head of Ukraine’s parliament, Ruslan Stefanchuk, has reportedly told British lawmakers that his country is ready to send its pilots to be trained to use Western fighter jets.
Echoing Zelensky’s trip to the British Parliament in February, and speaking during a visit to the United Kingdom, Stefanchuk said Kyiv could bring about “joint victory for Ukraine and the world” after it “gets the wings”.
Hungary’s parliament has approved a bill that will allow Finland to join NATO. Turkey is now the only member which has yet to ratify Finland’s accession to the Western alliance.
