The pro-Russian Donetsk People’s Republic has said that it has dropped drone bombs on Ukrainian soldiers and taken their positions.

The so-called Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) said that they were also supported by artillery and that they caused the Ukrainian soldiers to retreat.

The footage, shot from a drone, shows a bomb being dropped on a Ukrainian soldier who nonetheless continues to walk in what appears to be a trench.

The images then show other drone bombs being dropped, with at least three Ukrainian soldiers then moving at speed in a trench.

The footage then cuts to DPR soldiers who have supposedly occupied the trench that was allegedly abandoned by the retreating Ukrainian forces.

The images were obtained from the People’s Militia of the DPR on Friday, 13th January, along with a statement claiming: “Fighters of the 1st fire brigade, with the support of artillery and attack UAVs, took the position of the enemy.

“Ukrainian fighters, unable to withstand the continuous attacks of artillery and shock copters, left their position and fled, after which it was immediately occupied by the assault group of the 1st separate special forces battalion.”

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 324th day of the war.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February and 13th January, Russia had lost about 114,130 personnel, 3,098 tanks, 6,167 armoured combat vehicles, 2,086 artillery units, 437 multiple launch rocket systems, 218 air defence systems, 286 warplanes, 276 helicopters, 1,865 drones, 723 cruise missiles, 17 warships, 4,833 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 184 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 said on Thursday that his country’s soldiers fighting to defend the towns of Bakhmut and Soledar in eastern Ukraine will be provided with all the necessary equipment to counter Russia’s forces.

Hundreds of civilians are reportedly trapped in Soledar, where intense fighting is ongoing. The Ukrainian Governor of Donetsk, Pavlo Kyrylenko, said that 559 civilians, including 15 children, are currently trapped in Soledar and could not be evacuated.

Ukraine’s military has denied a claim that Russian forces have taken Soledar. Ukraine’s Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar has also said that Ukrainian forces are “holding on” amid “fierce fighting”.

Ukraine’s military has claimed that it killed over 100 Russian soldiers in a single strike in Soledar.

Over a dozen senior EU officials are set to meet members of the Ukrainian government in the capital Kyiv on 2nd February ahead of a key EU-Ukraine summit, according to the European Commission.

Ukraine’s Air Force Command has warned that missile strikes on Ukraine could take place from Belarus.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of Russia’s notorious Wagner mercenary group, has claimed that his forces have found the body of one of two British aid workers who had been reported missing in eastern Ukraine.

Prigozhin also claimed that his forces had found identity documents pertaining to both missing aid workers on the man’s body.

Andrey Kartapolov, the head of the Russian State Duma Defence Committee, has suggested that Moscow could increase the upper conscription age limit from 27 to 30 ahead of a draft campaign in the spring.

The Belarusian Ministry of Defence has said that Oleg Salyukov, the commander of Russia’s ground forces, visited Belarus on Thursday to inspect the combat readiness of joint Russian and Belarusian forces stationed there.

Turkey has summoned the Swedish ambassador over a Stockholm protest during which a puppet of Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan was hung from its feet. Pro-government Turkish media said the effigy was hanged by supporters of the PKK, a Kurdish militant group.

Sweden still requires Turkey’s approval to join NATO, with the Turkish government saying that Sweden needs to crack down on Kurdish groups that it views as “terrorists”.