Story By: Ana Marjanovic, Sub-Editor: Michael Leidig, Agency: Newsflash
These images purport to show Luhansk People’s Republic separatists engaging in combat against Ukrainian forces, with the militia saying it is inflicting losses on Ukraine.
The images were obtained from the People’s Militia of the Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR), who said that they are “continuing to destroy the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.”
In a statement attributed to an official representative of the People’s Militia of the LPR, Captain Filiponenko I.M., the LPR said on Wednesday, 15th June: “During the clashes with units of the defence department, over the past day, the enemy suffered losses in manpower and military equipment, namely: 32 personnel; 4 armored personnel carriers; 7 vehicles.
“The enemy continues to terrorise the civilian population of the Republic, shelling the civilian infrastructure of the front-line settlements of the LPR, which do not pose a danger to the enemy and are not military facilities.
“Over the past day, the armed formations of Ukraine have used the Tochka-U tactical missile system in the settlement of Svatove.”
The LPR claimed that they shot down the missile but that “as a result of the detonation of a cluster warhead of a rocket, a child born in 2011 was seriously injured.”
They added that various civilian buildings had been damaged.
We have not been able to independently verify the images or the claims.
Russian troops invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 112th day of the campaign.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February and 15th June, Russia had lost 32,750 personnel, 1,440 tanks, 3,528 armoured fighting vehicles, 722 pieces of artillery, 230 multiple launch rocket systems, 97 anti-aircraft units, 213 warplanes, 179 helicopters, 2,485 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, 13 boats, 591 unmanned aerial vehicles, 55 special equipment units and 129 cruise missiles were shot down.
All the bridges to the besieged Ukrainian city of Sievierodonetsk have reportedly been destroyed, the local governor, Serhiy Haidai, has said. Ukrainian forces there are now cut off from any possible retreat and fierce street-to-street fighting is taking place in the city, which has been the focus of Russian artillery fire for weeks.
An aide to President Zelenskyy has said that Ukraine is losing up to 200 troops a day.
President Zelenskyy has also said that Ukraine is suffering “painful losses” in its eastern Donbas region. He stressed that Ukraine needs modern anti-missile weapons to defend its territory.
The United Kingdom and the United States have said they are sending long-range missile systems to Ukraine.
But Ukrainian officials have said that weapons are not arriving fast enough. An adviser to President Zelenskyy, Mykhailo Podolyak, has said that to end the war, they need “1,000 howitzers caliber 155 mm; 300 MLRS; 500 tanks; 2000 armored vehicles; 1,000 drones”.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned of more attacks in Ukraine if the West sends long-range weapons.
The European Parliament has adopted a resolution recommending that the European Union grant Ukraine the status of candidate country for EU membership.
It is understood that there are ongoing attempts to set up a civilian corridor out of the encircled city of Sievierodonetsk.
It is not clear if Russia has halted its attacks in the key eastern city to allow for evacuation, and hundreds of civilians are said to be trapped in a huge chemical plant.
The Russian army has said that evacuated civilians will be transported to separatist-controlled areas of Luhansk Oblast.
But previous humanitarian corridor attempts have struggled to stay open.
Russian forces now control most of Sievierodonetsk after a month of intense combat, according to UK military intelligence.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said that Turkey has raised legitimate concerns in its opposition to Sweden and Finland joining the alliance and that talks to find a solution would continue.
NATO ministers are in Brussels for talks as Russia’s military advances in the Donbas region prompt pleas from Ukrainian officials for more Western weapons.
