Aerial footage reportedly shows Ukrainian tactical drones dropping bombs on Russian targets, injuring soldiers and setting military vehicles on fire.
Zenger News received the footage Sunday from the Eastern Operational-Territorial Command of Ukraine’s National Guard, Ukraine’s National Gendarmerie and Internal Forces.
The Eastern Operational-Territorial Command said (in Ukrainian): “The divine punishment is a deadly surprise for Russian fascists. National Guard light UAVs remotely disrupt the occupying infantry, killing lives and injuring many of them. They force the enemy to stay close to protect, tie down, and divert significant resources.”
Aerial footage reportedly shows Ukrainian tactical drones dropping bombs on Russian targets, injuring soldiers and setting military vehicles on fire. Eastern operational area group of the NMU/Zenger
“Drones have proven to be a very effective weapon, allowing you to remotely detect combat targets, adjust mortar and artillery fire, and destroy enemy manpower.
“This time, the Russian occupiers in Kharkiv Oblast relaxed a little, not suspecting that for some of them this would be their last round of ammunition.
“Thanks to the work of the soldiers of the special forces in the Kharkiv region, the enemy manpower and ammunition shells were destroyed with the help of a drone.
“Glory to Ukraine. Victory will be ours!”
Zenger News contacted Russian and Ukrainian officials for comment but had received no response at the time of writing.
Russian troops invaded Ukraine on February 24 in what the Kremlin still calls a “military special operation”. June 15 marks the 112th day of the campaign.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between February 24 and June 14 Russia lost 32,500 soldiers, 1,434 tanks, 3,503 armored fighting vehicles, 721 artillery systems, 229 multiple-barrel rocket systems (MLRS), 97 anti-aircraft systems, 213 combat aircraft, 179 helicopters, 2,473 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, 13 warships/boats, 588 drones, 54 special equipment and 125 cruise missiles.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine was suffering “painful losses” in its eastern Donbass region. He stressed that Ukraine needs modern anti-missile weapons to defend its territory. The UK and US have said they are sending long-range missile systems to Ukraine, but Ukrainian officials have said the weapons are not arriving fast enough. An adviser to Zelenskyi, Mykhailo Podolyak, said that to end the war they need “1,000 155mm caliber howitzers, 300 MLRS, 500 tanks, 2,000 armored vehicles, 1,000 drones.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned of further attacks in Ukraine if the West sends long-range weapons.
It has been reported from elsewhere in Ukraine that there are attempts to establish a civilian corridor out of the encircled city of Severodonetsk. It’s not clear if Russia has halted its attacks on the key city to the east to allow an evacuation, and hundreds of civilians are said to be trapped at a chemical plant.
The Russian army has announced that evacuated civilians will be transported to separatist-held areas of Luhansk Oblast, but previous attempts at the humanitarian corridor have struggled to stay open.
According to British military intelligence, Russian forces now control most of Severodonetsk after a month of intense fighting.
Also, NATO ministers are in Brussels for talks as Russia’s military advances in the Donbass region prompt Ukrainian officials to plead for more Western weapons.
This story was provided to Newsweek by Zenger News.