Story By: Ana Marjanovic, Sub-Editor: Michael Leidig, Agency: Newsflash
These images purport to show Ukrainian special forces mining a pontoon bridge set up by Russian troops to cross a river in the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk before it is blown to smithereens.
The first part of the footage, which appears to have been shot using night vision technology, shows what appear to be Ukrainian special forces mining the pontoon bridge at night.
The footage then cuts to a little later, in daylight, when the pontoon bridge can reportedly be seen being blown up.
The footage was obtained from the Special Operations Forces (SSO) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Thursday, 16th June, along with a short statement saying: “We do not know what the occupiers thought when they built a pontoon bridge to force [their way across] the river in the Luhansk region.
“After all, there are more than enough bad signs around that place in the form of burnt Russian equipment.”
It is unclear where exactly in the Luhansk region the footage was filmed, but the SSO also said: “We do not know what the enemy was hoping for when the SSO of Ukraine was able to mine a pontoon under his nose in the middle of the night.
“But we know exactly what emotions our soldiers had when they sent another enemy crossing into the air.”
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin is calling a “special military operation” to “liberate the Donbass”. Today marks the 113th day of the invasion.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February and 16th June, Russia had lost about 32,950 personnel, 1,449 tanks, 3,545 armoured fighting vehicles, 729 artillery pieces, 233 multiple launch rocket systems, 97 air defence systems, 213 warplanes, 179 helicopters, 591 tactical drones, 129 cruise missiles, 13 warships, 2,494 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 55 pieces of special equipment.
In related news, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi are en route to Kyiv for talks. They are hoping to rebut what has been perceived as their lukewarm support for Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Washington has told China it risks ending up on the “wrong side of history” following Chinese President Xi Jinping’s assurance to Russian President Vladimir Putin that Beijing supports Russian “sovereignty”.
Thousands of civilians remain trapped in the key eastern Ukrainian city of Sievierodonetsk, where the water supply is reported to be dwindling. Hundreds of civilians are taking shelter in the bunkers beneath the city’s Azot chemical plant.
Luhansk Oblast governor Serhiy Haidai said earlier this week that all three bridges into Sievierodonetsk had been destroyed, making delivering supplies and evacuating civilians impossible.
United States President Joe Biden has promised Kyiv another USD 1 billion in security assistance and weapons. And US General Mark Milley says Russia has lost around 20 to 30 per cent of its armoured force during the ongoing invasion.
