These images show the Ukrainian Navy blowing up two Russian anti-ship mines that drifted ashore near Odesa, the Ukrainian port city on the Black Sea.
The first piece of footage, showing one of the two mines on the shore before it is safely detonated, was obtained from the Ukrainian Navy on Sunday, August 21. An official statement said: “The Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine continue to detect and neutralize drifting Russian mines in the Black Sea.
“For the second time in a day, a drifting anti-ship mine was discovered in Odesa by the defense forces of Ukraine.
“The explosive projectile was successfully defused by a special unit of the Navy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
“The Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine continue to protect our country from the sea.”
The second piece of footage reportedly shows another drifting mine found earlier that day exploding as it is safely detonated on the shore. The Ukrainian Navy said: “Another drifting sea mine was discovered by the defense forces of Ukraine in Odesa.
“The dangerous find was promptly liquidated by a special unit of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.”
The mines were found and detonated on Sunday, August 21. The Governor of the Odesa region, Maksym Marchenko, 39, said: “Today, during the day our demolition teams destroyed two enemy drifting mines that washed ashore.
“I remind you about the ban on swimming and visiting the beaches, your life and health are in your hands. Glory to Ukraine!”
Marchenko is the former commander of the 28th Mechanized Brigade and the Aidar Battalion of the Ukrainian Ground Forces. He has been the governor of Odesa since March 1 of this year.
Zenger News contacted the Ukrainian Navy, which confirmed the authenticity of the footage and the accuracy of the information.
Zenger News also contacted the Russian Ministry of Defense for a comment but had not received a reply at the time of writing.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation”. Monday marks the 180th day of the war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between February 24 and August 22, Russia had lost about 45,400 personnel, 1,919 tanks, 4,230 armored combat vehicles, 1,032 artillery units, 266 multiple launch rocket systems, 145 air defense systems, 234 warplanes, 198 helicopters, 815 drones, 194 cruise missiles, 15 warships, 3,149 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 99 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower, but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that “Russia may try to do something particularly ugly, something particularly vicious” as Ukraine prepares to celebrate 31 years of independence from the Soviet Union on Wednesday, August 24. Large gatherings have been banned in Kyiv for four days beginning Monday, August 22.
Ukraine’s military has warned that Russian forces are positioning missile-capable warships and submarines in the Black Sea and air defense systems in Belarus.
Zaporizhzhia Regional Governor Valentyn Reznichenko has said that the city of Nikopol, which is located on the right bank of the Dnipro River not far from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant – Europe’s largest – was shelled during the night of Sunday to Monday.
The U.S., the U.K., Germany and France have urged for military restraint around the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron have agreed to send a team from the International Atomic Energy Agency to inspect the plant, the Elysee Palace said in a statement.
Ukrainian officials have said that five Russian Kalibr cruise missiles were fired from the Black Sea at the Odesa region. Two were shot down by Ukrainian air defenses while three of the Russian missile hit agricultural targets and caused no casualties.
Russia claimed on Sunday that the missiles had hit an ammunition depot that contained U.S.-made HIMARS rockets, but Ukraine said that the Russians had hit a granary.
Darya Dugina, 30, whose father is Russian political commentator Alexander Dugin, 60, an ultranationalist Russian ideologue and Vladimir Putin ally, was killed in a car bomb on the outskirts of Moscow on Saturday night.
Former Russian MP and lawmaker Ilya Ponomarev, who is currently in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, has claimed that the attack was carried out by Russian partisans from a group allegedly called the National Republican Army.
Ponomarev claimed that the National Republican Army is an underground group in Russia geared toward overthrowing Putin’s regime. Ponomarev said: “This attack opens a new page in Russian resistance to Putinism.”
We have not been able to independently verify the claims.
Russian commentators have blamed Ukraine for the attack, which Kyiv has vehemently denied.
The Russian Investigative Committee said in a statement on Sunday that it believes someone planned and ordered the car explosion that killed Dugina, based on evidence collected at the scene.
