Ukrainian forces have said that they fought “elite” Russian troops in an epic battle that saw them end up being “ground into mincemeat”.
This footage appears to show an epic battle involving defending Ukrainian forces obliterating Russian infantry and armour which were attempting to attack their position.
The Ukrainian side appears to have largely destroyed the Russian forces and forced their few remaining survivors to retreat.
The footage shows a number of Russian tanks and other armoured vehicles being hit by Ukrainian ordnance, with some of them seen turning around on the bodies of their own men and attempting to drive away.
The images also show Russian troops taking cover near the war machines as they are gradually decimated.
The area can be seen being targeted by Ukrainian ordnance, with vehicles exploding and soldiers on fire running across the battlefield.
Some soldiers take refuge in foxholes or craters caused by incoming ordnance, with Ukrainian drones also seen targeting infantry on the ground.
Some Russian soldiers can be seen attempting to drag their wounded away while others can be seen receiving direct hits from drone bombs.
Towards the end of the footage, a Russian tank can be seen on fire, with one Russian soldier running across the battlefield while on fire himself.
The images were obtained from the 68th Oleksa Dovbush Separate Jager Infantry Brigade of the Ukrainian Ground Forces on Thursday, 16th February, along with a statement saying: “In the Vuhledar direction, soldiers of the 52nd OSB in cooperation with units of the 68th OEBR gave battle to the rashist scum!
“The ‘elite’ troops of the Russian Federation were literally ground into mincemeat, meeting their inglorious end on Ukrainian soil.
“The battlefield remained littered with enemy bodies and armoured vehicles. Few people are lucky enough to crawl back to where they came from.
“This is a clear example of what will await new waves of Russians: your command will simply throw you away as ‘cannon fodder’, but then you will not be able to do anything.
“You wanted this land, so now mix with it!”
The images were also relayed 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 358th day of the full-scale war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February 2022 and 16th February 2023, Russia had lost about 140,460 personnel, 3,296 tanks, 6,517 armoured combat vehicles, 2,306 artillery units, 466 multiple launch rocket systems, 239 air defence systems, 298 warplanes, 287 helicopters, 2,012 drones, 857 cruise missiles, 18 warships, 5,167 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 219 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.
UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has said that 97 per cent of the Russian army is now estimated to be in Ukraine. He reportedly said Russia’s forces are suffering “First World War levels of attrition”.
Ukraine’s allies have said that they probably will not manage to supply Kyiv with the number of tanks they had previously promised to provide.
Boris Pistorius, the German Minister of Defence, said they would not even be able to form a battalion – which is typically about 50 tanks.
The announcement comes after a meeting of Western defence ministers in Brussels.
While NATO countries are increasing their production of 155 millimetres artillery rounds to help Ukraine, Jens Stoltenberg, the Secretary-General of NATO, said it is “obvious that we need to spend more”.
The International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS) has calculated that Russia has most likely lost between 40 and 50 per cent of its tanks compared to before the invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine, however, is thought to have increased its number of tanks thanks to the number of enemy war machines it has captured and supplies of Soviet-era tanks it has received from its allies.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the notorious Russian mercenary organisation Wagner, has confessed that his group is facing difficulties in eastern Ukraine. He said: “The number of Wagner units will decrease, and we will also not be able to carry out the scope of tasks that we would like to.”
His announcement comes amid reports that Moscow is moving to curb his political influence in the Russian capital.
Hanna Maliar, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Defence, has said that Russia is launching “round-the-clock” on Kyiv’s positions in eastern Ukraine. She added: “The situation is tense. Yes, it is difficult for us.”
The office of Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has also said that the situation in Luhansk continues to be difficult.
Serhiy Haidai, Ukraine’s Governor of the Luhansk region, has said that Russia is sending mobilised troops and heavy equipment into the area but Ukrainian military forces continue to defend the frontlines.
The Russian Ministry of Defence had earlier claimed that its troops had punched through fortified Ukrainian defences in two locations in Luhansk and that Ukrainian troops had retreated, but they did not say where exactly these gains allegedly took place.
Governor Haidai said that Moscow’s claim that Ukrainian troops had retreated “does not correspond to reality”.
A British man killed in Ukraine has been named by friends and family as Jonathan Shenkin from Glasgow. The 45-year-old “died as a hero in an act of bravery as a paramedic”, his family have said.
