These images reportedly show Ukrainian soldiers demonstrating their mortar skills.
The footage, which was obtained from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense (MoD), reportedly shows Ukrainian soldiers firing ordnance from portable mortars.
The Ukrainian MoD said: “Fast, high quality, targeted! When OUR mortars work – orc trenches are not safe….”
The Ukrainian forces regularly referred to the Russian troops as “orcs”.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation.” Today marks the 126th day of the invasion.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February and 29th June, Russia had lost about 35,450 personnel, 1,572 tanks, 3,720 armored combat vehicles, 781 artillery units, 246 multiple launch rocket systems, 103 air defense systems, 217 warplanes, 185 helicopters, 640 drones, 142 cruise missiles, 14 warships, 2,598 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 61 units of special equipment.
Turkey has agreed to support Finland and Sweden’s NATO membership bid after having initially opposed the countries’ requests to join the military alliance.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had met with Finland’s President Sauli Niinisto and Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson at the NATO summit in Madrid.
Jens Stoltenberg, the NATO Secretary General, said: “I am pleased to announce that we now have an agreement that paves the way for Finland and Sweden to join NATO.”
President Joe Biden congratulated the three countries, saying: “Congratulations to Finland, Sweden, and Turkey on signing a trilateral memorandum – a crucial step towards a NATO invite to Finland and Sweden, which will strengthen our Alliance and bolster our collective security – and a great way to begin the Summit.”
The Russian missile strike on a shopping mall in the central Ukrainian city of Kremenchuk has been described by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as one of the “most brazen terrorist acts in European history.” Over 1,000 people are said to have been inside the building when it was hit by missiles.
The death toll has risen to 18 people confirmed dead, with another 59 injured and 25 being treated in hospital. Some 36 people are still unaccounted for.
President Zelenskyy has urged the United Nations to visit the site and has demanded that Russia be expelled as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, accusing the country of having become a “terrorist state.”
Russia claimed on Tuesday, June 28, that it had hit a nearby weapons depot, with the explosion sparking the shopping mall blaze.
NATO is planning to boost its quick reaction forces from 40,000 troops to over 300,000 troops.
