This is the moment Russian troops get struck by deadly bombing unleashed by Ukrainian drone operators on the bloodied battlefield in Bakhmut.
The first piece of footage shows Ukrainian soldiers attaching two bombs to a drone and flying it over Russian positions.
Soon enough, the drone happens upon a soldier attempting to take cover underneath tree branches.
As he tries to slowly crawl into a better-hidden position, the first bomb goes off closely near him.
But while having succeed in avoiding the first explosion, the second one appears to be a fatal one.
Just seconds later, the other bomb drops on the soldier and he is left lying motionless on the ground right as the video cuts.
A second piece of footage shows an even fiercer battle taking place as numerous Russian soldiers scatter across the field while getting bombed by Ukrainian drones.
Many invaders can be seen abandoning their positions as they run to save their lives, but many more get hit in the deadly attacks.
Bombs can be seen dropping left and right over the large field and into Russians’ foxholes, inflicting heavy fire on their positions.
A grim close-up shows the sheer destructiveness of the Ukrainian fighters’ combat mission as scenes of apparently dead Russian soldiers and obliterated vehicles play across the screen.
The images were obtained by Newsflash from the Joint Tactical Group “Adam” on 31st December, along with a statement: “New Year’s gifts are different, we currently have the following:
“To the enemy, something explosive. To volunteers – words of great gratitude. To all Ukrainians – video results of the destruction of the occupiers.
“This video is almost a summary of the year, our work, which is hard to call our favourite.
“But we continue to do it, and judging by the large number of renegade occupiers in our direction (from intercepts), we do it effectively!
“Our intelligence, our UAV pilots inflict huge losses on the enemy.
“All these colossal enemy losses were impossible without volunteer help, especially with drones, because 80 per cent of success is eyes in the sky!
“The advancing army has three factors for success: quality combat support, rear support and combat morale, our volunteers are now covering almost all these three factors, our gratitude to you is endless!
“This video is the work of our coolest pilot Jackson and his team.
“We continue to work!”
The footage was also relayed by the Office for Strategic Communications (StratCom) of Ukraine, with the short statement: “Slicing work on Russians from the combined tactical group ‘Adam’, Bakhmut direction.”
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 313th day of the invasion.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February and 2nd January, Russia had lost about 107,440 personnel, 3,031 tanks, 6,093 armoured combat vehicles, 2,027 artillery units, 423 multiple launch rocket systems, 213 air defence systems, 283 warplanes, 269 helicopters, 1,836 drones, 723 cruise missiles, 16 warships, 4,725 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 181 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.
Ukrainian air defence systems destroyed nine Iranian-made Shahed drones over the Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions by the early hours of Monday, according to the regional military command.
Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that 45 Shaheds were “shot down on the first night of the year”.
Several waves of Russian drones targeted critical infrastructure in Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv early on Monday, according to Ukrainian officials, and have wounded at least one person.
Debris from a destroyed drone wounded a 19-year-old boy, the city’s mayor reported.
And the governor of the Kyiv region, Oleksiy Kuleba, said: “It is loud in the region and in the capital: night drone attacks.”
“Russians launched several waves of [Iranian-made] Shahed drones. Targeting critical infrastructure facilities,” Kuleba added.
At least 20 aerial targets were shot down by Ukraine’s air defences, according to the city military administration.
Continuous Russian missile and drone attacks brought a harrowing start to 2023 upon Ukraine after a deadly shelling on New Year’s Eve killed at least three civilians, according to official reports.
President Zelenskyy said his only wish for Ukrainians for 2023 is for victory and freedom: “I want to wish all of us one thing – victory.”
While President Vladimir Putin said Russia will “never give in” to the west, and is fighting for its “motherland, truth and justice” so that “Russia’s security can be guaranteed”.
Russia claimed its deadly strikes against Ukraine on New Year’s Eve were targeting its neighbour’s drone production.
A children’s hospital was allegedly one of the buildings that are said to have been hit during the Russian attacks.
