This footage shows how Ukrainian marines tracked and killed Russian soldiers hiding in damaged buildings in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine.
The images were obtained from the 503rd Separate Marine Corps Battalion of the Ukrainian Navy, on Saturday, August 20, along with a statement saying: “The closer to Independence Day, the more actively the Russians are trying to seize our land.
“They come in small groups, try to gather strength, thinking that we don’t know about them, or we won’t see them.
“But, they still don’t understand who they are dealing with. Well, now they will find out for themselves why we have such fertile black soil, because people like them are buried four layers deep.”
And the Navy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, relaying the footage, said on Sunday, August 21: “On August 20, servicemen of the military units and units of the Marine Corps Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are part of the groups steadfastly and courageously resisted the Russian invaders on the fortified areas of the front.
“In the Donetsk direction, marines destroyed two tanks, an armored personnel carrier and a vehicle with enemy ammunition.
“Our artillery units struck a concentration of personnel and equipment of the invaders, as a result of which 12 invaders were killed and wounded, and one Hyacinth-S self-propelled howitzer was destroyed.
“The final losses of the enemy are being confirmed.
“Glory to Ukraine!”
The images were also relayed by the Office of Strategic Communications (StratCom) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Zenger News contacted the Ukrainian Navy and they confirmed that the footage was authentic and the information accurate.
Zenger News also contacted the Russian Ministry of Defense for a comment but had not 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”. Monday marks the 180th day of the war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between February 24 and August 22, Russia had lost about 45,400 personnel, 1,919 tanks, 4,230 armored combat vehicles, 1,032 artillery units, 266 multiple launch rocket systems, 145 air defense systems, 234 warplanes, 198 helicopters, 815 drones, 194 cruise missiles, 15 warships, 3,149 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 99 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower, but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that “Russia may try to do something particularly ugly, something particularly vicious” as Ukraine prepares to celebrate 31 years of independence from the Soviet Union on Wednesday, August 24. Large gatherings have been banned in Kyiv for four days beginning Monday, August 22.
Ukraine’s military has warned that Russian forces are positioning missile-capable warships and submarines in the Black Sea and air defense systems in Belarus.
Zaporizhzhia Regional Governor Valentyn Reznichenko has said that the city of Nikopol, which is located on the right bank of the Dnipro River not far from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant – Europe’s largest – was shelled during the night of Sunday to Monday.
The U.S., the U.K., Germany and France have urged for military restraint around the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron have agreed to send a team from the International Atomic Energy Agency to inspect the plant, the Elysee Palace said in a statement.
Ukrainian officials have said that five Russian Kalibr cruise missiles were fired from the Black Sea at the Odesa region. Two were shot down by Ukrainian air defenses while three of the Russian missile hit agricultural targets and caused no casualties.
Russia claimed on Sunday that the missiles had hit an ammunition depot that contained U.S.-made HIMARS rockets, but Ukraine said that the Russians had hit a granary.
Darya Dugina, 30, whose father is Russian political commentator Alexander Dugin, 60, an ultranationalist Russian ideologue and Vladimir Putin ally, was killed in a car bomb on the outskirts of Moscow on Saturday night.
Former Russian MP and lawmaker Ilya Ponomarev, who is currently in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, has claimed that the attack was carried out by Russian partisans from a group allegedly called the National Republican Army.
Ponomarev claimed that the National Republican Army is an underground group in Russia geared toward overthrowing Putin’s regime. Ponomarev said: “This attack opens a new page in Russian resistance to Putinism.”
We have not been able to independently verify the claims.
Russian commentators have blamed Ukraine for the attack, which Kyiv has vehemently denied.
The Russian Investigative Committee said in a statement on Sunday that it believes someone planned and ordered the car explosion that killed Dugina, based on evidence collected at the scene.
