Story By: Ana Marjanovic, Sub-Editor: Michael Leidig, Agency: Newsflash
These images purport to show Ukrainian forces destroying a Russian BAT-2 armoured tracklayer.
The images were obtained from the Command of the Assault Troops of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Tuesday, 14th June. They said: “Gunners of the 79th Separate Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed the BAT-2 paver of the Russian occupiers.”
They signed off with “death to the Russian occupiers!” and “Glory to Ukraine!”
The BAT-2 armoured tracklayer is used for road and track clearing and grading.
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 artillery systems, 230 multiple launch rocket systems, 97 anti-aircraft warfare systems, 213 warplanes, 179 helicopters, 2,485 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, 13 boats, 591 unmanned aerial vehicles, 55 special equipment units. A total of 129 enemy 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.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russian attacks on the cities of Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk have turned them into “dead cities”. An aide to President Zelenskyy has said that Ukraine is losing up to 200 troops a day.
President Zelenskyy has repeatedly asked for additional weapons from Ukraine’s allies.
The United Kingdom and the United States have said they 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.
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”.
Podolyak added: “Contact Group of Defense Ministers meeting is held in Brussels on June 15. We are waiting for a decision.”
President Putin has said that the West will not be able to wean itself off from Russian oil and gas for years.
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.
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.
