These images show a Ukrainian drone dropping bombs on Russian soldiers in trenches near Bakhmut.
The footage begins by showing a number of drone bombs being dropped on Russian positions, with Russian soldiers seen lying lifeless on the ground as the footage ends.
The images were obtained from the 28th Separate Mechanized Brigade named after the Knights of the First Winter Campaign of the Ukrainian Ground Forces on Sunday, 12th March, along with a statement saying: “With the arrival of spring, sowing begins for our soldiers as well. Kurt’s unit ‘sows’ Russian fertilisers in the Bakhmut area.”
The images and statement were also relayed by the Office of Strategic Communications (StratCom) and by the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February 2022 in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 383rd day of the full-scale war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February 2022 and 13th March 2023, Russia had lost about 159,800 personnel, 3,474 tanks, 6,774 armoured combat vehicles, 2,503 artillery units, 493 multiple launch rocket systems, 259 air defence systems, 304 warplanes, 289 helicopters, 2,109 drones, 907 cruise missiles, 18 warships, 5,354 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 251 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 has awarded the Hero of Ukraine title to a PoW who was executed on camera with a machine gun after being captured by Russian forces.
Zelensky said: “Today I conferred the title of Hero of Ukraine upon Oleksandr Matsievskyi, a soldier.
“A man whom all Ukrainians will know. A man who will be remembered forever. For his bravery, for his confidence in Ukraine and for his ‘Glory to Ukraine!’”
The Hero of Ukraine title is the highest national title that can be conferred upon an individual citizen by the President of Ukraine.
Alexander Lukashenko, the authoritarian President of Belarus, has arrived in Iran for an official visit to discuss “trade and economic cooperation”.
Ukraine and Russia have both claimed that hundreds of enemy soldiers had been killed in the last 24 hours in the battle for Bakhmut.
Hulusi Akar, the Minister of Defence of Turkey, has said that he believes that the Ukrainian grain export deal will be extended beyond its deadline of 18th March.
The Russian Foreign Ministry, however, said that its representatives had not yet taken part in any negotiations to extend the deal.
The Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Garibashvili, has told Ukraine to stay out of Georgia’s politics.
The criticism comes after Ukrainian leadership expressed support for protesters in Tbilisi.
The Georgian Prime Minister labelled comments from Ukrainian leadership as a “direct intervention” in his country’s domestic politics, telling his Ukrainian counterpart to “take care of yourself and your country, and we will take care of our country”.
