This huge explosion is the result of Ukrainian forces blowing up a Russian weapons and ammunition warehouse in southern Ukraine, causing a massive shockwave.
The night-time images show a massive explosion taking place in the distance, behind an urban area full of houses, with the footage ending as the shockwave from the explosion appears to reach the person filming after a few seconds.
Other images, filmed from slightly further away, show the night sky being lit up by the explosion, with the person filming taking cover as they are reached by the shockwave as well.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine said that they have destroyed the warehouse, reportedly containing Russian weapons and ammunition, in Nova Kakhovka, a city in the central Kakhovka Raion region of Kherson Oblast, in southern Ukraine
The images were obtained from the Office of Strategic Communications (StratCom) of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the morning of Tuesday, July 12.
They were also relayed by the Chernihiv Regional Territorial Staffing and Social Support Center and the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security, which operates under the umbrella of the Ministry of Culture and Information of Ukraine.
StratCom said in a statement that the images show “an extreme fire show with incendiary dances” taking place in Nova Kakhovka. They added that “the orcs are so pleased with what they’ve seen that they want more”.
Ukrainian forces regularly refer to the Russian invaders as “orcs.”
The Chernihiv Regional Territorial Staffing and Social Support Center said in a statement attributed to Ukrainian politician Serhii Khlan, 50, an adviser to the governor of Kherson Oblast: “In Novaya Kakhovka, minus one Russian warehouse with ammunition.
“They brought, brought, stored, stored and now they have fireworks for the night. People’s windows are blown out, but they are still happy… because it means that the Armed Forces are close.”
We contacted the StratCom of the Ukrainian Armed Forces for further comment, as well as the Russian Ministry of Defense, but haven’t received a reply at the time of writing.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation.” July 12 marks the 139th day of the invasion.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between February 24 and July 12, Russia had lost about 37,470 personnel, 1,649 tanks, 3,829 armored combat vehicles, 838 artillery units, 247 multiple launch rocket systems, 109 air defense systems, 217 warplanes, 188 helicopters, 676 drones, 155 cruise missiles, 15 warships, 2,699 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 66 units of special equipment.
Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov has hinted at plans to put together a “million-strong army” equipped with NATO weaponry to fight Russian troops, but the comments have been viewed more as a rallying cry than a concrete plan.
Russia is making gains in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region and is continuing to hit areas across Ukraine with missile strikes.
Reznikov said that Western weaponry needs to be delivered to Ukraine faster. He said that for every day that they have to wait for howitzers to arrive, they can lose up to 100 soldiers.
At least 34 people are now confirmed dead after a Russian missile hit an apartment building in the city of Chasiv Yar in eastern Ukraine. Emergency workers continue to sift through the rubble looking for survivors.
At least six people have died after Russian rockets hit Kharkiv, in north-eastern Ukraine, on Monday morning, July 11. And Oleksandr Syenkevych, the Mayor of Mykolaiv, in south-western Ukraine, has said that at least four people were injured by shelling on Tuesday morning, July 12.
Pavlo Kyrylenko, the governor of Ukraine’s eastern region of Donetsk, has said that 80 percent of civilians have fled, with about 340,000 people remaining.
Germany and the Czech Republic have signed a joint declaration, vowing to overcome their dependency on Russian fossil fuel and to speed up the transition to low carbon energy.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree that makes it easier for Ukrainian citizens to acquire Russian citizenship.
The Kremlin has said that Putin plans to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after they discussed how to facilitate the export of grain from Ukraine.
The United States has warned that Iran plans to supply Russia with drones. White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that intelligence suggests that Iran is making preparations to train Russian troops to use its drones.
