These images show Ukrainian air assault forces destroying Russian tanks and armored vehicles.
The footage was obtained from the 79th Air Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces on Monday, July 25, along with a statement saying that “10 tanks and 15 enemy armored personnel carriers are on the account of the anti-tankers of the 79th brigade of the DShV [the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces].”
It was not immediately clear what time period these numbers cover.
The 79th Air Assault Brigade also said: “The anti-tank unit of the 79th separate amphibious assault brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces continues to destroy the enemy’s armored vehicles in the area of ​​the mission in Donbas.
“After receiving the order, the anti-tankers quickly advance to the most tank-dangerous areas and burn the enemy’s equipment at a distance of 2.5 to 5 kilometers [1.5 to 3 miles] with the accurate fire of anti-tank guided missiles. The soldiers have 10 tanks and 15 armored personnel carriers destroyed thanks to the skillful actions of anti-tank soldiers. The unit is armed with both domestically developed anti-tank missiles and imported types of these weapons.
“The soldiers explain the secrets of their success to the coherence of the actions of combat calculations, as well as to the high motivation of the fighters.”
In the footage, a first soldier says “Catch this, b*tches!” as a missile is fired. A second soldier then says “Well done!” as missile hits its target. A third then says: “Next! Now catch the second shot!”
The footage then cuts to a fourth serviceman, who explains: “Our unit performs tasks such as the destruction of lightly armored and heavily armored vehicles, helicopters. We moved in the direction of tanks, there was a successful launch, first a Kamaz [truck] and an armored personnel carrier were destroyed.”f
A fifth soldier then says: “A tank was driving 1.5 kilometers [1 mile] from us, we quickly prepared, and landed a direct hit right on the tank’s turret.”
The fourth soldier then says: “We destroyed two more tanks, the enemy’s personnel were scattered and dispersed, as they began to burn. The guys were very pleased with us, as they saw that our gunnery had a very successful effect, that it could destroy lightly armored vehicles and even tanks.”
The footage then cuts back to his colleague, with the soldier saying: “We feel great joy, minus one tank. We’re just protecting our country the way we’re supposed to.”
None of the Ukrainian soldiers in the footage were named.
It is currently unclear where exactly in Ukraine the images were filmed, but they were also relayed by the Office of Strategic Communications (StratCom) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Zenger News contacted 79th Air Assault Brigade for further comment, as well as the Russian 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”. Tuesday marks the 153rd day of the invasion.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between February 24 and July 26, Russia had lost about 39,870 personnel, 1,737 tanks, 3,959 armored combat vehicles, 880 artillery units, 258 multiple launch rocket systems, 117 air defense systems, 222 warplanes, 189 helicopters, 722 drones, 174 cruise missiles, 15 warships, 2,835 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.
Ukraine has said that it hopes to begin exporting grain again via its ports in the coming days.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of “barbarism” after the port of Odesa, on the Black Sea, was hit by a missile.
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that he expects both Ukraine and Russia to uphold the recently signed grain export agreement.
Russian energy company Gazprom has said that it will once again cut gas supplies to the EU through its main pipeline from Wednesday. It has attributed the move to maintenance work.
President Zelensky has called on Europe to hit back against Russia’s “gas war”.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said that his country’s primary goal is to topple the Ukrainian government.
Ukraine has said that it destroyed 50 Russian ammunition depots using US-supplied HIMARS light multiple rocket launchers on Monday.
The Ukrainian authorities have credited the systems, which were delivered in late June, with having helped them turn the war in their favor by helping them to undermine Russian logistics and slow down the invader’s offensive ability.
Two American citizens who were killed in Ukraine in early July have been named as Luke Lucyszyn and Bryan Young. They were killed when they were ambushed by a Russian tank on July 18, according to their Ukrainian commander, Ruslan Miroshnichenko.
