This video montage shows the intense fighting that took place in the now seized Ukrainian cities of Rubizhne and Sievierodonetsk.
The Ukrainian National Guard said the footage was filmed by fighters during the defence of the cities of Rubizhne and Sievierodonetsk in the eastern region of Luhansk, both now seized by the Russian forces.
In Rubizhne, the clips were filmed from the beginning of March until mid-May. In Sievierodonetsk, the footage was taken between the beginning of May and 24th June.
The Ukrainian National Guard said they destroyed over 300 armoured vehicles and killed around 1,000 Russian troops during the defence of the cities of Rubizhne and Sievierodonetsk in the eastern region of Luhansk.
The National Guard said on 11th July: “Videos filmed by fighters during brutal battles for the settlements in Luhansk region.
“In those battles, the enemy lost over 300 units of armoured vehicles, about 1,000 orcs were killed and about 1,500 wounded in Rubizhne and Sievierodonetsk, which Ukrainian soldiers turned into a meat grinder for the Russian invaders.
“We will never forget the defence of these settlements and will forever honour those heroes who gave their lives for Ukraine and victory!”
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin is calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 138th day of the invasion.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February and 11th July, Russia had lost about 37,400 personnel, 1,645 tanks, 3,828 armoured combat vehicles, 838 artillery units, 247 multiple launch rocket systems, 109 air defence systems, 217 warplanes, 188 helicopters, 676 drones, 155 cruise missiles, 15 warships, 2,696 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 66 units of special equipment.
On 11th July, the Ukrainian military said defending troops had successfully fended off an enemy assault on Krasnopillia while also preventing the Russians from carrying out an offensive on Marinka in Donetsk Oblast.
The Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office claimed that Russia has committed over 22,500 war crimes and crimes of aggression against Ukraine.
Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that Russia has only just begun its campaign in Ukraine and dared the West to attempt to defeat it on battlefield.
Putin told parliamentary leaders: “Everyone should know that, by and large, we haven’t started anything yet in earnest.”
He added: “The further it goes, the harder it will be for them to negotiate with us.”
Russia’s defence ministry has claimed that it killed Ukrainian servicemen who were trying to raise Ukraine’s flag on the recently retaken Snake Island but Ukraine has denied that any of its servicemen on the island were killed.
Ukraine has summoned the ambassador of Turkey, claiming that Turkey has allowed a Russian ship carrying thousands of tonnes of grain allegedly stolen from Ukraine to leave exports to one of its ports. Kyiv alleges that the vessel is transporting stolen cargo amounting to 7,000 tons of grain.
The United Nations has warned of a “looming hunger catastrophe” due to Russia’s blockade on Ukrainian grain exports.
