The pro-Russian Luhansk People’s Republic has said that Russian artillery is supporting its offensive on Marinka in eastern Ukraine with field guns.
Footage obtained from the Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR) purports to show at least one of the field guns in action, seen in the images reportedly opening fire on unseen Ukrainian targets.
The images were obtained from the People’s Militia of the LPR on Wednesday, 11th January, along with a statement claiming: “Artillery of the RF [Russian Federation’s] Armed Forces supports the offensive in Marinka.
“152-mm 2A36 Giatsint-B guns continuously fire at the identified enemy targets in Marinka, supporting the advance of the assault groups of the RF Armed Forces.”
The 2A36 Giatsint-B is a Soviet-era towed 152 mm field gun which has been in use since 1975. Marinka is a city located in the Pokrovsk Raion, in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine.
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”.
