Russia claims to have hit Ukrainian forces with missile strikes, as this footage showing a mushroom cloud looming in the sky after a large explosion purports to show.
The images were obtained from the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) on Wednesday, July 13, along with a statement which claimed (in English) that “High-precision air-based missiles destroyed over 350 AFU soldiers and 20 units of military equipment of Kakhovka task force reserve at a shipyard in Nikolaev city.
“As a result of high-precision weapons strike of the Russian Aerospace Forces on a temporary deployment point of artillery battalion of 59th Motorized Infantry Brigade in the eastern Nikolaev city, up to 70 servicemen of AFU artillery units, 10 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled howitzers and over 10 units of vehicles and special equipment were destroyed.
“Sabotage and reconnaissance group of 242nd battalion of 241st Territorial Defense Brigade transferred from Kiev has been eliminated near Dementiyevka, Kharkov region. 5 militants killed on the spot and 10 more Ukrainian servicemen captured.
“Russian Aerospace Forces destroyed 2 command posts near Bereznevatoye in Nikolaev region, 1 ammunition depot near Seversk, as well as 7 armored vehicles of 60th Mechanized Brigade of AFU near Bilogor’e, Zaporozhye region.
“As part of counter-battery fighting, 1 platoon of Uragan multiple rocket launchers have been destroyed at firing positions near Kostantinovka in Donetsk People’s Republic.
“Operational-tactical and army aviation, missile troops and artillery have neutralized 11 command posts, 102 areas of artillery units at firing positions, as well as 123 areas of AFU manpower and military equipment concentration.
“Russian fighters have shot down 3 aircraft of Ukrainian air force in the air: 1 Su-25 and 1 Su-24 near Novoukrainka and Barvenkovo in Donetsk People’s Republic, as well as 1 MiG-29 near Bashtanka in Nikolaev region.
“Russian air defense means have shot down another Su-25 of Ukrainian air force near Shirokoye, Nikolaev region.
“Also, air defense means have shot down 9 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles near Dibrovnoye, Glubokoye, Luk’yantsy, Brazhkovka, Liptsy, Peschanoye in Kharkov region, Snegirevka in Nikolaev region and Karpovka in Donetsk People’s Republic.
“5 Ukrainian Tochka-U ballistic missiles have been intercepted over Veselaya Tarasovka, Pokrovskoye, Konstantinovka, Lisichansk in Lugansk People’s Republic and Kostyrka in Kherson region.
“18 Uragan multiple-launch rocket launchers have been shot down in the air near Topolskoye, Dolgen’koye, Suligovka in Kharkov region, Khartsyzsk, Avdeevka, Karpovka in Donetsk People’s Republic, Rodakovo, Smeloye, Zimogor’e, Lotikovo in Lugansk People’s Republic and Lugansk city.
“In total, 247 Ukrainian airplanes and 137 helicopters, 1,522 unmanned aerial vehicles, 354 anti-aircraft missile systems, 4,050 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 744 multiple launch rocket systems, 3,145 field artillery and mortars, as well as 4,192 units of special military vehicles were destroyed during the operation.”
Zenger News has not been able to independently verify the claims or the footage.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 in what the Kremlin is calling a “special military operation.” July 13 marks the 140th day of the invasion.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between February 24 and July 13, Russia had lost about 37,570 personnel, 1,649 tanks, 3,832 armored combat vehicles, 839 artillery units, 247 multiple launch rocket systems, 109 air defense systems, 217 warplanes, 188 helicopters, 678 drones, 155 cruise missiles, 15 warships, 2,704 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 67 units of special equipment.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Russia “doesn’t have the courage” to admit defeat. He has also mocked Russia for apparently relying on aging weaponry. He also said that the outcome of the war was certain, thanks to the unity of his people and the strength of Ukraine’s military forces.
Grain shipments via the River Danube have increased, with a canal being reopened. An increased number of foreign ships are now able to reach Ukrainian ports to help export grain. Deputy Infrastructure Minister Yuriy Vaskov has said that the number of foreign ships has doubled. Ukraine has also reopened a decommissioned port.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov has hinted at plans to put together a “million-strong army” equipped with NATO weaponry to fight Russian troops, but the comments have been viewed more as a rallying cry than a concrete plan.
Reznikov has said that Western weaponry needs to be delivered to Ukraine faster. He said that for every day that they have to wait for howitzers to arrive, they can lose up to 100 soldiers.
The U.S. Treasury announced on Tuesday that it was sending an additional $1.7 billion in economic aid to Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to visit Iran next week to hold talks in Tehran with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The meeting comes as the U.S. accuses Iran of preparing to provide Russia with hundreds of military drones for use in Ukraine.
Germany and the Czech Republic have signed a joint declaration, vowing to overcome their dependency on Russian fossil fuels and to speed up the transition to low-carbon energy.
President Putin has signed a decree that makes it easier for Ukrainian citizens to acquire Russian citizenship.
