This is the moment fighters of the Luhansk People’s Republic battle with Ukrainian forces and reportedly “liberate” new territories in the region.
The Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR) said they carried out the “liberation” of occupied territories from “Ukrainian militants”.
The People’s Militia of the LPR said they battled with Ukrainian forces in and around the city of Rubizhne in the easternmost Ukrainian region of Luhansk Oblast.
With the support of Russian troops, the LPR militia claimed they took out well-fortified Ukrainian positions and claimed new turf with the use heavy artillery, grenade launchers, and small arms on the ground.
From 24th February to 13th May, the total combat losses of Russian troops stand at around 26,900 personnel, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The Ukrainian military also claims that Russia has lost 1,205 tanks, 2,900 armored fighting vehicles, 542 artillery systems, 193 multiple launch rocket systems, 88 anti-aircraft systems, 200 warplanes, 162 helicopters, 2,042 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, 13 vessels, 405 unmanned aerial vehicles, 41 units of special equipment and 95 cruise missiles.
The Ukrainian military said Russia’s biggest losses yesterday were sustained in the Kurakhiv area.
The update comes as UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss says Russian President Vladimir Putin is “humiliating himself on the world stage”.
She called for tougher sanctions on Russia and said they should not be relaxed until the last Russian troop departs Ukraine.
Meanwhile, in a first, a Russian soldier will stand trial today for the war crime of killing an unarmed Ukrainian civilian.
And Russia is expected to up its bombardment of the Azovstal steelworks now that all civilians have been evacuated from there, say the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
The metallurgical plant is the last area of the strategic port city of Mariupol not under Russian control.
