These images show the moment a Russian multiple rocket launcher vehicle appears to fire at Ukrainian targets.
The released footage shows one of these vehicles, sporting a white ‘Z’ on its side, being deployed before it appears to acquire a target. It then fires, apparently hitting its target.
It is currently unclear where exactly in Ukraine the footage was shot but the images were obtained from the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) on the evening of Sunday, June 12.
The Russian MoD said that the images show a ‘Smerch’ MLRS in action. The BM-30 Smerch is a heavy multiple rocket launcher originally built in the Soviet Union.
We contacted Russian and Ukrainian officials for comment but had not received a reply at the time of writing.
Russian troops invaded Ukraine on February 24 in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation.” June 13 marks the 110th day of the campaign.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between February 24 and June 13, Russia had lost 32,300 personnel, 1,432 tanks, 3,492 armored fighting vehicles, 718 artillery systems, 226 multiple launch rocket systems, 97 anti-aircraft systems, 213 warplanes, 178 helicopters, 2,460 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, 13 warships/boats, 585 drones, 54 pieces of special equipment and 125 cruise missiles.
A huge fire is reportedly raging at a chemical plant in Sievierodonetsk as street-to-street fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces takes place in the city.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Russian attacks on the cities of Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk has turned them into “dead cities”. But he added that Ukrainian forces could still hold Sievierodonetsk despite being outnumbered.
An aide to President Zelenskyy has said that Ukraine is losing up to 200 troops a day.
President Zelenskyy has asked for additional weapons from Ukraine’s allies to help push back the Russian forces.
The United Kingdom and the United States are sending long-range missile systems to Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned of more attacks in Ukraine if the West sends long-range weapons.
President Putin has said that the West will not be able to wean itself off from Russian oil and gas for years. US officials have now also admitted that Russian profits on energy might even be higher than they were before the war started.
The European Parliament has adopted a resolution recommending that the European Union grant Ukraine the status of candidate country for EU membership. Some 438 members of Europe’s parliament voted in favor of the resolution, with 65 voting against and 94 abstaining.
