This footage shows a large Russian self-propelled gun blowing up in a massive explosion after it was targeted by Ukrainian forces and destroyed.
The footage was obtained from the 44th Artillery Brigade of the Ukrainian Ground Forces – also known as the 44th Separate Artillery Brigade named after Hetman Danylo Apostol – on Thursday, August 18, along with a statement saying: “They successfully hunted down and destroyed the orc self-propelled guns […].”
Ukrainian troops often refer to the invading Russian forces as “orcs”.
The 44th Artillery Brigade added: “44th Separate Artillery Brigade named after Hetman Danylo Apostol continue the successful demilitarization of the occupiers and zealously destroy the enemy’s equipment and invasion plans.
“Glory to Ukraine!”
Ukrainian media reported that the Russian self-propelled gun that was destroyed was a 2S5 Giatsint-S, also known as a “Hyacinth”.
The images and statement were also relayed by the Office of Strategic Communications (StratCom) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Zenger News contacted the head of the public relations service of the Ground Forces Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Major Fityo Volodymyr, who confirmed that the footage was authentic and that the information was accurate.
Zenger News also contacted the Russian Ministry 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”. Friday marks the 177th day of the war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between February 24 and August 19, Russia had lost about 44,700 personnel, 1,899 tanks, 4,195 armored combat vehicles, 1,016 artillery units, 266 multiple launch rocket systems, 141 air defense systems, 234 warplanes, 197 helicopters, 795 drones, 190 cruise missiles, 15 warships, 3,130 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 94 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower, but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures. The Pentagon said last week that Russia had suffered between 70,000 and 80,000 casualties – deaths and injuries – since the beginning of its invasion.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo has confirmed that China’s Xi Jinping and Russia’s Vladimir Putin will both attend the G 20s summit in Bali in November.
Ukraine’s military intelligence has warned that Russian forces may be preparing to stage a “provocation” at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said that he is “gravely concerned” about the situation at the nuclear power plant – Europe’s largest – and has called on the Russian military to urgently withdraw from the site. He added: “We must tell it like it is – any potential damage to Zaporizhzhia is suicide.”
The Kharkiv regional governor, Oleh Synehubov, has said that at least 17 people were killed and 42 injured in two separate Russian strikes on Kharkiv before dawn on Thursday.
Four explosions reportedly hit an area near a major Russian military airport in Crimea on Thursday. Russia has so far denied that any damage was done.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Ukraine has not changed its stance on potential peace negotiations with Russia, saying that talks with Russia would only be possible if Moscow’s forces withdrew from illegally occupied territory.
“The heavy attrition of Russian Main Battle Tanks in Ukraine is highly likely partially due to Russia’s failure to fit and properly employ adequate Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA)”, British intelligence said in a statement on Thursday, August 18.
The statement also said: “Used correctly, ERA degrades the effectiveness of incoming projectiles before they hit the tank. This suggests that Russian forces have not rectified a culture of poor ERA use, which dates back to the First Chechen War in 1994.”
