These images show a Ukrainian mine-clearing vehicle blowing up explosive devices in a field to make way for the army ahead of a much-anticipated counteroffensive against the invading Russian forces.
The footage shows at least three Ukrainian war machines advancing across a field, with Ukrainian forces detonating mines in a bid to clear a passage for their other military forces.
The images show one war machine equipped with a device at the front of it geared towards detonating mines on its path.
Another military vehicle can be seen launching short-range rockets attached to cables to detonate explosive devices hidden in the field.
The video shows the three Ukrainian military vehicles successfully making it to the other side of the field, near a treeline, as the footage ends.
The images were obtained from the Command of the Support Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Wednesday, 24th May, along with a statement saying: “The UR-77 is in operation, a self-propelled rocket launcher designed for demining. This rocket launcher is capable of creating passages in anti-tank minefields during combat.”
The images and statement were also relayed by the Office of Strategic Communications (StratCom) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The UR-77 Meteorit is a Soviet-era mine-clearing vehicle that is based on a variant of the tracked 2S1 Gvozdika’s chassis.
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February 2022 in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 455th day of the full-scale war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February 2022 and 24th May 2023, Russia had lost about 204,760 personnel, 3,792 tanks, 7,424 armoured combat vehicles, 3,339 artillery units, 570 multiple launch rocket systems, 327 air defence systems, 309 warplanes, 296 helicopters, 2,871 drones, 1,015 cruise missiles, 18 warships, 6,146 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 440 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.
Russia claims to have repelled an attack led by Russian partisans that saw a series of battles in Russia’s south-western Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine.
Vyacheslav Gladkov, the Governor of Belgorod, said late on Tuesday that antiterrorism measures that were put in place following the attack have now been lifted.
Russia has accused Ukraine of carrying out the skirmish and said that the partisans were in fact Ukrainians, while Ukraine has vehemently denied this and said that they were Russians seeking to oust Vladimir Putin from power.
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has said that Poland has begun training Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16 fighter jets.
He told EU defence ministers in Brussels: “I am happy that finally, the training of the pilots for the F-16 has started in several countries. It will take time, but the sooner the better […] For example, in Poland.”
Borrell also said that EU members had supplied Ukraine with 220,000 artillery shells and 1,300 missiles since March.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said his country is analysing options to support a coalition of countries willing to train Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16 fighter jets.
He added that Germany’s contribution could only be minor as the country does not own any F-16 fighter jets.
The detention of Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich has been extended by a court in Moscow.
Gershkovich was arrested at the end of March on charges of espionage. The court said that he should remain detained until 30th August. The US has called for his immediate release.
Ukraine’s Deputy Defence Minister, Hanna Maliar, said on Tuesday that Ukrainian forces still control the south-western part of the embattled eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut.
She added that Ukrainian forces had made progress “on the flanks to the north and south of Bakhmut”.
The Ukrainian military said that Russia had carried out 20 missile strikes on Monday against the Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kharkiv regions.
The Ukrainian General Staff also said that Russia had launched 48 airstrikes using Iranian-made Shahed drones.
