Story By: Ana Marjanovic, Sub-Editor: Michael Leidig, Agency: Newsflash
This footage purports to show heavy fighting on the front lines in eastern Ukraine, with Pro-Russian separatists saying that Ukrainian attempts to break through their lines have so far failed.
The video shows tanks sporting white ‘Z’ – synonymous with Russian and pro-Russian forces – on the move and infantry apparently opening fire on unseen enemies with heavy machine guns.
The footage also appears to show a sniper wearing camouflage gear opening fire on unseen Ukrainian positions. Soldiers of the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic soldiers can also be seen firing rocket-propelled grenades and assault rifles.
The images were obtained from the People’s militia of the pro-Russian, so-called LPR, who said that “an attempt to break through the lines of the People’s militia of the Luhansk People’s Republic failed.”
A spokesperson for the LPR said: “The special operation in Donbas continues, Ukrainian servicemen are trying in every possible way to break through the fortified positions of our People’s Militia fighters with the help of sabotage groups in the direction of Severodonetsk, we are convinced that all attempts made by Ukrainian nationalists are meaningless.
“Once again, the fighters of the People’s Militia showed a worthy folded work against enemy military forces.”
An unnamed LPR sniper also said: “Before the war, I was engaged in private business, but as soon as the mobilisation took place, I immediately joined the ranks of the People’s Militia. I did not hide, because if we all hide, they will come and strangle us, shoot us.”
We have not been able to independently verify the footage or the claims.
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin is calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 118th day of the invasion.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February and 21st June, Russia had lost about 34,100 personnel, 1,496 tanks, 3,606 armoured combat vehicles, 752 artillery units, 239 multiple launch rocket systems, 98 air defence systems, 216 warplanes, 181 helicopters, 611 drones, 137 cruise missiles, 14 warships, 2,537 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 59 units of special equipment.
Russia has conducted an anti-ship missile exercise in the Baltic Sea amid escalating tensions with NATO member Lithuania after the country blocked the transit of goods to the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.
Ukrainian forces have said that they have been successfully thwarting fresh Russian attempts to advance in the Kharkiv region of north-eastern Ukraine.
And Iryna Vereshchuk, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories, has urged locals in the Kherson region to evacuate the area so as to help Ukrainian forces “deoccupy” the area.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Ukraine’s southern frontline as Ukrainian forces mount a counter attack in the region to push back Russian troops.
The new head of the British Army, Gen Sir Patrick Sanders, has told British forces that they need to be ready to face Russia on the battlefield and said the British Army now needs to be capable of defeating Russia.
United States President Joe Biden has promised Kyiv another USD 1 billion in security assistance and weapons. And US General Mark Milley says Russia has lost around 20 to 30 per cent of its armoured force during the ongoing invasion.
President Zelenskyy said that a “historic week” has begun as Kyiv awaits a decision from Brussels regarding its EU candidate status.
Zelenskyy, speaking to the African Union on Monday, 20th June, also accused Russia of holding Africa “hostage” over grain and fertiliser shortages.
French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi held talks in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv with President Zelenskyy on 16th June.
Former Russian president and staunch Vladimir Putin ally Dmitry Medvedev has derided French, German and Italian leaders visiting the Ukrainian capital Kyiv as “fans of frogs, liverwurst and spaghetti”.
The European Parliament adopted a resolution recommending that the European Union grant Ukraine the status of candidate country for EU membership. Some 438 MEPs voted in favour of the resolution, with 65 voting against and 94 abstaining.
Independent Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov has auctioned off his Nobel Peace Prize medal for USD 103.5 million, with all the proceeds going to help Ukrainian refugees.
Muratov, 60, is the editor-in-chief of Russian independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta, which he co-founded in 1993. He has been a vocal advocate for the freedom of the press and argued that it needs to remain independent from state influence.
