Ukrainian Forces Pummel Russian Positions Near Bakhmut

This footage shows Russian troops being pummelled by Ukrainian ordnance near Bakhmut amid intense fighting in eastern Ukraine.

The footage shows the Russian positions being hit hard by Ukrainian ordnance as the enemy soldiers do their best to take cover.

The images were obtained from the 71st Separate Jager Brigade of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Sunday, 8th January, along with a statement saying: "Infighting. How the DSHV's [Ukrainian Air Assault Forces] Jagers stormed the positions of the Russians in the Bakhmut area.

"Soldiers of the 71st Separate Jager Brigade of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine tell how they destroyed the Russian invaders in the Bakhmut district of the Donetsk region.

"- Bakhmut is a real fortress! - noted the defenders of Ukraine. Together to victory! The Ukrainian Air Assault Forces - Always First! Glory to Ukraine!"

The images and statement were also relayed by the Command of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces.

Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin is still calling a "special military operation". Today marks the 320th day of the war.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February and 9th January, Russia had lost about 111,760 personnel, 3,080 tanks, 6,147 armoured combat vehicles, 2,069 artillery units, 434 multiple launch rocket systems, 217 air defence systems, 285 warplanes, 275 helicopters, 1,856 drones, 723 cruise missiles, 16 warships, 4,809 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 183 units of special equipment.

Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that his country’s forces are repelling numerous attacks on the city of Bakhmut, in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine.

Zelensky said on Sunday night: “Bakhmut is holding on despite everything. And even though most of the town has been destroyed by Russian strikes, our soldiers are repelling constant Russian attempts to advance. Soledar is holding on, even though there is even greater destruction and things are very difficult.”

Russia has said that it has killed over 600 Ukrainian soldiers in a strike on the eastern Ukrainian town of Kramatorsk, but Ukraine’s military and the town’s mayor have rejected this claim.

Ukrainian officials have said that at least two people have been killed in fighting in eastern Ukraine, with the Governor of Donetsk, Pavlo Kyrylenko, saying that one person had been killed in strikes on Bakhmut, while eight others in the region had been wounded.

Russia and Belarus have reportedly expanded their joint military training exercises in Belarus. The move comes amid concern that Moscow is pushing its ally to join the war in Ukraine.

Demands for a special court to investigate Moscow for “crimes of aggression” against Ukraine have been backed by UK politicians across the political spectrum.

Germany and the United States have joined France and agreed to send armoured fighting vehicles to Ukraine in a move that is seen as a significant boost to the country’s military capabilities on the battlefield.

Ukraine has been asking its Western allies for tanks for months, but the request has so far gone largely unheeded, despite Germany taking part in a tank swap deal under which Ukraine is being provided with Soviet-era tanks from Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Slovenia and Greece, which are then supplied with modern German equipment.