The Russian Ministry of Defense has claimed that new footage shows their troops sending a volley of missiles at unseen Ukrainian targets with an Uragan multiple rocket launcher (MLRS) vehicle.
The Russian military claimed crews from its Western Military District used the 220-mm Uragan MLRS to destroy Ukrainian targets after receiving the coordinates from spy drones and gathering intelligence data.
The Western Military District is one of five military districts that make up the Russian Armed Forces. Its jurisdiction primarily covers the western-central region of European Russia.
The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) claimed in a statement obtained on Tuesday, July 12: “Combat work of the crews of the ‘Uragan’ multiple launch rocket system of the Western Military District in firing operations to destroy the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine during the special military operation.
“After receiving the coordinates of the targets from the unmanned aircraft teams and intelligence data, the crews of the 220-mm Uragan MLRS of the Western Military District struck at the identified enemy positions.”
Zenger News has not been able to independently verify the claims.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 in what the Kremlin is calling a “special military operation.” July 13 marks the 140th day of the invasion.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between February 24 and July 13, Russia had lost about 37,570 personnel, 1,649 tanks, 3,832 armored combat vehicles, 839 artillery units, 247 multiple launch rocket systems, 109 air defense systems, 217 warplanes, 188 helicopters, 678 drones, 155 cruise missiles, 15 warships, 2,704 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 67 units of special equipment.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Russia “doesn’t have the courage” to admit defeat. He has also mocked Russia for apparently relying on aging weaponry. He also said that the outcome of the war was certain, thanks to the unity of his people and the strength of Ukraine’s military forces.
Grain shipments via the River Danube have increased, with a canal being reopened. An increased number of foreign ships are now able to reach Ukrainian ports to help export grain. Deputy Infrastructure Minister Yuriy Vaskov has said that the number of foreign ships has doubled. Ukraine has also reopened a decommissioned port.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov has hinted at plans to put together a “million-strong army” equipped with NATO weaponry to fight Russian troops, but the comments have been viewed more as a rallying cry than a concrete plan.
Reznikov has said that Western weaponry needs to be delivered to Ukraine faster. He said that for every day that they have to wait for howitzers to arrive, they can lose up to 100 soldiers.
The U.S. treasury announced on Tuesday, July 12, that it was sending an additional $1.7 billion in economic aid to Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to visit Iran next week to hold talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The meeting comes as the Biden administration accuses Iran of preparing to provide Russia with hundreds of military drones for use in Ukraine.
Germany and the Czech Republic have signed a joint declaration, vowing to overcome their dependency on Russian fossil fuels and to speed up the transition to low-carbon energy.
President Putin has signed a decree that makes it easier for Ukrainian citizens to acquire Russian citizenship.
