This is the moment a Russian ‘Orlan-10’ drone takes to the sky and drops bombs on a target in the Donbas region.
The Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) claims the Orlan-10 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are used to assist civilians allegedly being used as a human shield, as well as carry out reconnaissance operations to find Ukrainian ammo depots and military bases.
The footage shows Russian troops loading one Orlan-10 UAV with missiles before it takes to the sky and bombs targets in a field.
UAV operator Yevgeny said: “We are carrying out aerial reconnaissance operations, finding targets. We then pass on the coordinates to our artillerymen. They in turn prepare the artillery fire.”
Earlier today, the Russian MoD claimed that 265 Ukrainian fighters of the Azov Battalion surrendered at the Azovstal iron and steel plant in the under-siege city of Mariupol on Monday.
In a statement, the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) said on 17th May: “The surrender of militants of the nationalist ‘Azov’ unit began yesterday at the ‘Azovstal’ plant in Mariupol.
“Over the past day, 265 militants laid down their arms and surrendered, including 51 seriously wounded. All those in need of medical care were sent for treatment to a hospital in the city of Novoazovsk, Donetsk People's Republic.”
However, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine claim the invasion is not going as well as the Kremlin may have hoped.
From 24th February to 17th May, the total combat losses of Russian troops stand at around 27,900 personnel, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The Ukrainian military also claims that Russia has lost 1,235 tanks, 3,009 armoured fighting vehicles, 578 artillery systems, 198 multiple launch rocket systems, 90 anti-aircraft systems, 201 warplanes, 167 helicopters, 2,109 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, 13 vessels, 436 unmanned aerial vehicles, 43 units of special equipment and 97 cruise missiles.
The Ukrainian military added that the Russian Armed Forces' greatest losses yesterday were sustained in the Lyman and Zaporizhzhia directions.
Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has suggested that he may block Finland's and Sweden's applications to join NATO after he accused the Nordic nations of harbouring Kurdish militants who he regards as "terrorists".
Today marks the 83rd day of the Russian ‘special military operation’.
Days ago Ukraine showed off its devastating Brit-made Brimstone missiles in action.
The weapon has been adapted to be fired from small vehicles on the Ukrainian battlefield rather than their usual launchpads - warplanes or as drones of naval ships.
Video footage released by the Ukrainian defence ministry is said to show the Brimstone and also the NLAW new generation portable anti-tank weapon.
A statement from Ukrainian forces said: “From the first days of the open invasion of Russia, the support of our foreign partners has played an important role in countering enemy forces.
“Weapons, material and technical means that give us fellow countries are our strength on the way to victory. We are learning fast and learning new weapons.
“And foreign instructors help us master them without delay. After all, we are fighting not only for the land.
“We fight for our principles, history, senses, for the very existence of the Ukrainian people, their values and freedom.
“And we are grateful that along this way, the titanic support is given to us by the partner states of the free world.
“Together for the Victory.”
The Brimstone came into service in 2005 with an updated version supplied to the RAF six years ago.
It can strike using laser-seeking guidance or autonomous targeting.
In another video, said to have been released by Ukrainian forces, it claims to show the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol hit with incendiary of phosphorus bombs by Vladimir Putin ’s forces.
