Ukraine Video Shows Russian Armored Vehicles Decimated in Strikes

A video released by Ukraine shows a dozen Russian armored vehicles destroyed by Kyiv's forces on the battlefield.

Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) shared the aerial drone footage on its social media channels, saying one of its units "burned" more than a dozen Russian vehicles in a single day.

It isn't clear when or where the footage was filmed. Newsweek has contacted Russia's Defense Ministry for comment by email.

Both Moscow and Kyiv are reported to have lost large amounts of personnel and equipment after Russia started an offensive in the Kharkiv region on May 10, seizing villages on Ukraine's northeastern frontier.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said on June 8 that Russia's Kharkiv region offensive had not succeeded. "A very significant result is that the Russian army failed. The direction is strengthened. And it will be strengthened more," he said after a meeting with Ukraine's army chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi.

"Enemy logistics are under attack — scouts at the front are destroying Russian equipment," the HUR said on Wednesday. "Soldiers of the special unit of the HUR of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine 'Kabul 9' on the front lines burned more than a dozen units of automobile and armored vehicles of the Muscovites in a day."

The HUR went on: "Effective work on the destruction of the logistics of the Russian invaders with the help of FPV drones continues! Glory to Ukraine!"

Ukrainian media reports that the HUR's Kabul 9 unit was formed at the beginning of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and that members include veterans of the Ukrainian army.

Last month, a senior intelligence officer with the HUR's Kabul 9, who goes by the call sign Deputat, told RBC Ukraine that the intelligence unit destroys "a lot of enemy vehicles during one mission."

"This includes armored vehicles, armored personnel carriers, tanks and unarmored vehicles. As there are no such intense actions and assaults in our area as, for example, in the Donbas or Kharkiv region, we are now actively fighting their logistics routes," he said.

The General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces posts figures on Russia's troop and equipment losses as part of its daily update on the war. It said Russia lost 17 armored personnel vehicles in the past day, bringing the total number to 15,583.

The General Staff also said Russia lost 1,180 soldiers over the past day, bringing the total to 546,270. In addition, Moscow has lost a total of 8,123 tanks, 14,712 artillery systems, 19,850 vehicles and fuel tanks, 876 anti-aircraft warfare systems, 2,336 cruise missiles, 360 military jets, 326 helicopters and 28 warships in the war, the update said.

Newsweek could not independently verify Kyiv's figures.

On Wednesday, Russia's Defense Ministry said in its latest update that its military has so far destroyed 625 Ukrainian aircraft, 277 helicopters, 27,160 unmanned aerial vehicles, 537 anti-aircraft missile systems, 16,490 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,363 combat vehicles with multiple launch rocket systems, 11,272 pieces of field artillery and mortars and 23,289 units of special military vehicles.

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