Story By: Ana Marjanovic, Sub-Editor: Michael Leidig, Agency: Newsflash
This video purports to show a Russian infantry fighting vehicle and ammunition going up in balls of smoke and fire following pinpoint artillery strikes from Ukrainian troops.
Newsflash obtained the footage from the 28th Separate Mechanised Brigade – a formation of the Ukrainian Ground Forces – yesterday (Tuesday, 14th June).
The brigade said (in Ukrainian): “Artillerymen of the 28th Separate Mechanised Brigade named after the Knights of the First Winter Campaign remind the Russian occupiers with accurate shots that they will have no quiet place on Ukrainian soil.
“Our ‘Gods of War’ professionally turned tens of millions of rubles in the form of a BMP-3 with ammunition into a beautiful fire, which is a pleasure to watch.”
The BMP-3 is a Soviet and Russian infantry fighting vehicle, successor to the BMP-1 and BMP-2. It entered service in 1987. It is also used by the Ukrainian military.
The brigade, which is headquartered in Chornomorske in Odesa Oblast did not specify where in Ukraine the strike took place.
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin is calling a “special military operation” to “liberate the Donbass”. Today marks the 112th day of the invasion.
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 artillery systems, 230 multiple launch rocket systems, 97 anti-aircraft systems, 213 warplanes, 179 helicopters, 2,485 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, 13 warships, 591 unmanned aerial vehicles, 55 pieces of special equipment, and 129 cruise missiles.
In related news, the first civilian corridor out of the encircled city of Sievierodonetsk should, in theory, be open.
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 sceptics are pointing out that previous humanitarian corridors attempted in Ukraine have struggled to stay open.
Russian forces now control most of Sievierodonetsk after a month of intense combat, according to UK military intelligence.
Meanwhile, 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.
