Story By: Ana Marjanovic, Sub-Editor: Michael Leidig, Agency: Newsflash
This is the moment a Russian soldier shows off the stockpile of captured Western weapons allegedly abandoned by fleeing Ukrainian troops.
The Russian military said the captured weapons included Javelin rocket launchers, Browning M2 heavy machine guns, and Carl Gustaf grenade launchers.
The Russian Ministry of Defence said on 13th June: “Captured weapons hastily abandoned by the retreating units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
“Russian military personnel note that soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine began to increasingly abandon their American ‘Javelin’ anti-tank missile systems and Swedish-produced NLAW [Next generation Light Anti-tank Weapon] imported by Western countries due to their bulkiness.”
In the footage, Maxim, the head of the depot where the captured weapons are being stored, shows the stockpile of arms and tells the camera: “Here, we also have a version of the American Browning M2 heavy machine gun and ammunition for the Swedish 84-mm Carl Gustaf grenade launcher.”
He adds: “We have not seen anything like this before.”
Russian troops invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 110th day of the campaign.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February and 12th June, Russia had lost 32,150 personnel, 1,430 tanks, 3,484 armoured combat vehicles, 715 artillery systems, 226 multiple launch rocket systems, 97 air defence systems, 212 warplanes, 178 combat helicopters, 582 drones, 13 boats, 2,455 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, 54 pieces of special equipment and 125 cruise missiles.
A huge fire is reportedly raging at a chemical plant in Sievierodonetsk as street-to-street fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces takes place in the city.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Russian attacks on the cities of Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk has turned them into “dead cities”, but added that Ukrainian forces could still hold Sievierodonetsk despite being outnumbered.
An aide to President Zelenskyy has said that Ukraine is losing up to 200 troops a day.
President Zelenskyy has asked for additional weapons from Ukraine’s allies to help push back the Russian forces.
The United Kingdom and the United States are sending long-range missile systems to Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned of more attacks in Ukraine if the West sends long-range weapons.
