Ukrainian Soldiers Fire On Russian Positions With SPG-9, Rocket Launcher And Heavy Machine Guns In Bakhmut

These images show Ukrainian soldiers opening fire on Russian troops using an SPG-9 recoilless gun, a rocket launcher and a heavy machine gun in Bakhmut.

The footage begins by showing Ukrainian soldiers opening fire on unseen Russian positions using an SPG-9 recoilless gun, before another Ukrainian soldier is seen firing a rocket.

The footage ends by showing a Ukrainian soldier using a heavy machine gun.

The images were obtained from the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Wednesday, 15th March, along with a statement saying: “Fireworks that the occupiers deserved — with smoke and death. This is fire work with an LNG and a machine gun near Bakhmut.”

The images and statement were also relayed by the Office of Strategic Communications (StratCom) and 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 386th day of the full-scale war.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February 2022 and 16th March 2023, Russia had lost about 162,560 personnel, 3,504 tanks, 6,810 armoured combat vehicles, 2,539 artillery units, 503 multiple launch rocket systems, 265 air defence systems, 305 warplanes, 289 helicopters, 2,145 drones, 907 cruise missiles, 18 warships, 5,394 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 257 units of special equipment.

Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.

Ukrainian soldier shoots MANPADs in Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine in undated footage. The footage was released by the 3rd separate assault brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on Wednesday, Mar. 15, 2023. (@ab3.army/Newsflash)

Russia has said that it will attempt to retrieve the wreckage of a US military drone that crashed into the Black Sea after an encounter with two Russian fighter jets.

The US has said that the debris could be in waters so deep that any recovery would be impossible.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and his US counterpart Lloyd Austin held a rare phone call on Wednesday to discuss the incident.

Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, said that the incident was “being investigated”, while the UK Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace, said Russia had acted “unprofessionally”.

Andriy Yermak, the head of the Ukrainian president’s office, said that the country’s ground forces had shot down a Russian fighter jet near the eastern city of Bakhmut.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence will reportedly start a new recruitment campaign in April with the aim of enrolling 400,000 soldiers into the Russian army.

Turkish officials have reportedly said that their country’s parliament is “highly likely” to ratify Finland’s membership bid to join NATO before the middle of April.