These images appear to show Ukrainian forces destroying a slew of tanks, with one shot even apparently hitting the spot occupied by five of the Russian war machines.
The impressive footage was obtained from the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Friday, July 8, along with a short statement jokingly saying: “The Ukrainian military invented an interesting competition for the occupiers – ‘Tank Cemetery’. There is no turning back for those who want to join! Believe in the Armed Forces of Ukraine!”
It is unclear where exactly in Ukraine the footage was filmed. Still, it was also relayed by the Office of Strategic Communications (StratCom) of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, who joked: “The ‘Ukrainian Safari 2.0’ continues.”
StratCom also said in a statement on Friday, July 8: “Ukrainian military struck three times with pairs of helicopters the stronghold, the accumulation of the Russian Armed Forces and equipment in the area of ​​Davydova Brod and Pravdyny. This was reported by Operational Command ‘South.’
“As a result of the strike, 12 servicemen, a tank, a ‘Msta-B’ howitzer, and an ammunition depot were destroyed.”
Davydova Brod and Pravdyny are in the hotly contested southern Ukrainian Kherson Oblast region.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 in what the Kremlin continues to call a “special military operation.” Today marks the 135th day of the invasion.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between February 24 and July 8, Russia had lost about 36,900 personnel, 1,637 tanks, 3,811 armored combat vehicles, 828 artillery units, 247 multiple launch rocket systems, 107 air defense systems, 217 warplanes, 187 helicopters, 669 drones, 155 cruise missiles, 15 warships, 2,685 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 66 units of special equipment.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Russia has only just begun its campaign in Ukraine and has dared the West to attempt to defeat it on the battlefield. Putin told parliamentary leaders: “Everyone should know that, by and large, we haven’t started anything yet in earnest.” He added: “The further it goes, the harder it will be for them to negotiate with us.”
According to Ukrainian officials, three people have been killed, and another five have been injured after Russian forces fired rockets at Kharkiv.
Russia’s defense ministry has claimed that it killed Ukrainian servicemen who were trying to raise Ukraine’s flag on the recently retaken Snake Island. Still, Ukraine has denied that any of its servicemen on the island were killed.
The Institute for the Study of War, a U.S.-based think tank, has said that Russia may be temporarily easing its offensive in eastern Ukraine in an “operational pause” as its forces rest before they attempt to reassemble for a new offensive.
Russian forces made no territorial gains in Ukraine on Wednesday, July 6, “for the first time in 133 days of war,” according to the Institute.
Ukraine has summoned the ambassador of Turkey, claiming that Turkey has allowed a Russian ship carrying thousands of tons of grain allegedly stolen from Ukraine to leave exports in one of its ports. Kyiv alleges that the vessel is transporting stolen cargo amounting to 7,000 tons of grain.
The United Nations has warned of a “looming hunger catastrophe” due to Russia’s blockade on Ukrainian grain exports.
The resignation of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been met with sadness in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, most notably by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who said that Johnson has been a “true friend of Ukraine.” But Moscow reacted with delight to Johnson’s departure, with a Kremlin spokesperson saying: “He doesn’t like us. We don’t like him either.”
The Russian parliament is rushing through two new bills to impose strict controls on the country’s economy and require that businesses supply the armed forces.
The United Nations has said that nearly 9 million people have now left Ukraine since the beginning of Russia’s invasion. Ukraine’s Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova has said that the country is investigating over 21,000 Russian war crimes committed since the beginning of the invasion.
Kazakhstan’s President, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, has called for a diversification of the country’s oil routes a day after a court in Russia suspended operations on a major export pipeline.
The Russian court ordered the suspension of Kazakh oil exports to the West for a month. Russia controls the Novorossiisk Black Sea oil terminal, where tankers are loaded with oil that transits, via a pipeline, from Kazakhstan’s Tengiz oilfield. Western sanctions have restricted Russia’s oil and gas exports, increasing demand for producers like Kazakhstan.
But the President of Kazakhstan has refused to recognize the pro-Russian, so-called People’s Republic of Donetsk and the People’s Republic of Luhansk in eastern Ukraine and has also indicated that Kazakhstan could increase its oil exports to the European Union.
