These images show Ukrainian paratroopers taking out multiple Russian armoured personnel carriers using drones.
The first piece of footage shows how soldiers of the 25th Separate Sicheslav Airborne Brigade, of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces, destroyed a first Russian armoured personnel carrier with the help of an attack drone. A second armoured personnel carrier next to it can also then be seen on fire after having reportedly been hit as well.
The second piece of footage shows how soldiers of the artillery unit of the 79th Air Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces destroyed a Russian BTR-82A armoured personnel carrier, also using a drone.
Both pieces of footage were filmed recently in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine.
In the first piece of footage, the first Russian armoured personnel carrier can be seen with its hatch open as a bomb dropped by the drone hits it, with subsequent images showing it on fire, with smoke gushing out of it. The second armoured personnel carrier can be seen burning next to it.
The second piece of footage begins by showing the second Russian armoured personnel carrier, apparently already damaged, with smoke coming out of it, before a drone drops a bomb on it that then explodes on impact and causes a fire, with the war machine then seen burning profusely.
The first piece of footage was obtained from the 25th Separate Sicheslav Airborne Brigade on Wednesday, 26th October, along with a statement saying: “Combat work of Sicheslavs in Donetsk region! Two Russian BTR-82A armoured personnel carriers were destroyed with the help of an attack drone.
“The enemy cannot hide or run away! We will find them everywhere! This is our land and there is no place for the Russian occupiers, we will destroy everyone who does not voluntarily lay down their arms – the paratroopers assure it!
“Believe in the Armed Forces! Victory will be ours!”
The second piece of footage was obtained from the Command of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces, also on Wednesday, 26th October, along with a statement saying: “In Donetsk region, Mykolaiv paratroopers destroyed a Russian BTR-82A with the help of artillery and an attack drone.
“The video recorded how in one of the districts of the Donetsk region, the artillery unit 79 of the Mykolaiv Separate Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces damaged a Russian BTR-82A armoured personnel carrier.
“After that, the enemy armoured vehicles were completely destroyed by the UAV unit with the help of an attack drone.
“Death to the Russian invaders! The Air Assault Forces – Always First! Glory to Ukraine!”
The first piece of footage was also relayed by the Office of Strategic Communications (StratCom) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The second piece of footage was also relayed by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 246th day of the war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February and 27th October, Russia had lost about 69,220 personnel, 2,631 tanks, 5,364 armoured combat vehicles, 1,690 artillery units, 379 multiple launch rocket systems, 192 air defence systems, 271 warplanes, 249 helicopters, 1,398 drones, 351 cruise missiles, 16 warships, 4,078 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 150 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly overseen multiple military exercises involving strategic nuclear forces and the launch of multiple cruise and ballistic missiles.
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said that the exercises were to simulate a “massive nuclear strike” by Russia in response to a nuclear attack.
Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, said that the Russians had given no sign that they were going to abandon the city of Kherson, with the Russian-installed authorities reportedly telling locals to move to the eastern bank of the Dnieper River.
Vladimir Saldo, a Russia-installed official in Kherson, has said that 70,000 civilians have left the Kherson region in a week.
Oleksiy Reznikov, the Minister of Defence of Ukraine, has said that poor weather and the terrain had slowed down the advance of the Ukrainian military in the Kherson region.
Reznikov also said that he did not believe that Putin would use nuclear weapons.
Ukraine has reportedly exhumed approximately 1,000 bodies, including those of civilians and children, in the recently liberated region of Kharkiv. This figure includes 447 bodies found at a mass burial site in Izium.
The Russian Ministry of Defence has said that Defence Minister Shoigu has spoken by phone with his Chinese and Indian counterparts and raised Russia’s supposed concerns about the possibility of Ukraine using a “dirty bomb”.
This is after Shoigu spoke by phone with NATO defence ministers. There is currently no evidence to support Russia’s claim.
Martin Griffiths, the United Nations aid chief, has said that he is “relatively optimistic” that the UN-brokered Black Sea grain export deal would be extended beyond mid-November.
There are plans for the European Union to introduce a price cap on gas this winter to tackle price spikes, if members give Brussels the power to propose the measure.
