This footage obtained from the Russian Ministry of Defense purports to show tanks of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic in action in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine.
The tanks can be seen bearing the now infamous ‘Z’ symbol. The ‘Z’ – as well as the letters ‘V’ and ‘O’ – is one of the symbols that can be seen painted on Russian military vehicles taking part in the invasion of Ukraine.
They can be seen opening fire, allegedly on Ukrainian positions.
The images were obtained from the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) on Wednesday, July 27, along with a statement (in Russian) claiming that the images show “personnel of the combat work of tank units of the 1st Army Corps of the People’s Militia of the Donetsk People’s Republic working to capture the stronghold of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
“The tankers of the army corps advanced to the line of fire and destroyed firing positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
“In total, during the battle, up to a platoon of militants was destroyed, as well as several pieces of equipment and weapons in firing positions.”
We have not been able to independently verify the claims or the footage.
Zenger News contacted the Russian MoD for further comment, as well as the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, but had not received a reply at the time of writing.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 in what the Kremlin is calling a “special military operation”. Thursday marks the 155th day of the invasion.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between February 24 and July 28, Russia had lost about 40,230 personnel, 1,742 tanks, 3,979 armored combat vehicles, 894 artillery units, 258 multiple launch rocket systems, 117 air defense systems, 222 warplanes, 190 helicopters, 729 drones, 174 cruise missiles, 15 warships, 2,854 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 75 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower, but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine said they hit the Antonivskiy Bridge in the Russian-occupied region of Kherson in southern Ukraine in a bid to disrupt enemy supplies destined for the occupied city of Kherson.
Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, has since said that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are planning to “isolate [Russia’s] military operations” in the region and that the operation to liberate Kherson “has already begun”.
President Zelensky said Ukraine would rebuild the Antonivskiy Bridge and other crossings in the region. He said: “We are doing everything to ensure that the occupying forces do not have any logistical opportunities in our country.”
Arestovych also said that Russian forces are being massively redeployed to three regions in southern Ukraine. He said Russian forces were changing tactics and adopting defensive positions in the regions of Melitopol, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.
Arestovych confirmed Russia’s claim that it had captured Ukraine’s second biggest power plant, Vuhlehirsk, in eastern Ukraine.
Preparations are ongoing for the first ships carrying grain to leave Ukraine’s ports, with Turkey unveiling a center in Istanbul to oversee the deal, which was brokered by the UN and Ankara and which was signed by both Ukraine and Russia.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that he is set to talk to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov by phone. It will be the first call between the two diplomats since the beginning of the Russian invasion.
