Story By: Ana Marjanovic, Sub-Editor: Michael Leidig, Agency: Newsflash
These images purport to show Russian Ka-52 attack helicopters destroying Ukrainian strongholds.
The footage shows the attack helicopters, sporting white ‘V’ symbols on their fuselages, being prepared for combat before they take off and head towards their targets. The images then appear to show them opening fire on Ukrainian targets.
Salvos of rockets can be seen being fired from some of the helicopters before the footage shows the aircraft landing, presumably back at their base.
It is unclear where exactly the attacks took place, but the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) said in a short statement on the evening of Sunday, 12th June: “Ka-52 attack helicopter crews engaged in combat operations to destroy AFU [Armed Forces of Ukraine] strongholds.
“During the flights, the army aviation pilots carried out missile launches against the identified strongholds of AFU units.
“The air strikes were carried out from a range of over 5 kilometres”.
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 13th June, Russia had lost 32,300 personnel, 1,432 tanks, 3,492 armoured fighting vehicles, 718 artillery systems, 226 multiple launch rocket systems, 97 anti-aircraft systems, 213 warplanes, 178 helicopters, 2,460 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, 13 warships, 585 drones, 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 he 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.
President Putin has said that the West will not be able to wean itself off from Russian oil and gas for years. US officials have now also admitted that Russian profits on energy might even be higher than they were before the war started.
The European Parliament has 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.
