Russia has claimed that these images show its combat helicopters taking out Ukrainian targets.
The footage was obtained from the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) on the morning of Tuesday, July 12, along with a short statement claiming that the images show “crews of Ka-52, Mi-35 and Mi-8AMTSH helicopters of the army aviation during the special military operation.”
The Russian MoD also claimed: “Ka-52 reconnaissance attack helicopter pilots carried out missile launches against detected fortified strongholds and armored vehicles of AFU [the Armed Forces of Ukraine] units during combat missions.”
We contacted the Russian MoD for further comment, as well as the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, but haven’t received a reply at the time of writing.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 in what the Kremlin is calling a “special military operation.” July 12 marks the 139th day of the invasion.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between February 24 and July 12, Russia had lost about 37,470 personnel, 1,649 tanks, 3,829 armored combat vehicles, 838 artillery units, 247 multiple launch rocket systems, 109 air defense systems, 217 warplanes, 188 helicopters, 676 drones, 155 cruise missiles, 15 warships, 2,699 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 66 units of special equipment.
Ukraine’s 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.
Russia is making gains in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region and is continuing to hit areas across Ukraine with missile strikes.
Reznikov 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.
At least 34 people are now confirmed dead after a Russian missile hit an apartment building in the city of Chasiv Yar in eastern Ukraine. Emergency workers continue to sift through the rubble looking for survivors.
At least six people have died after Russian rockets hit Kharkiv, in north-eastern Ukraine, on Monday morning, July 11. And Oleksandr Syenkevych, the Mayor of Mykolaiv, in south-western Ukraine, has said that at least four people were injured by shelling on Tuesday morning, July 12.
Pavlo Kyrylenko, the governor of Ukraine’s eastern region of Donetsk, has said that 80 percent of civilians have fled, with about 340,000 people remaining.
Germany and the Czech Republic have signed a joint declaration, vowing to overcome their dependency on Russian fossil fuel and to speed up the transition to low carbon energy.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree that makes it easier for Ukrainian citizens to acquire Russian citizenship.
The Kremlin has said that Putin plans to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after they discussed how to facilitate the export of grain from Ukraine.
The United States has warned that Iran plans to supply Russia with drones. White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that intelligence suggests that Iran is making preparations to train Russian troops to use its drones.
