Footage released by the Russian Defense Ministry has shown the aftermath of an artillery hit in Donbass © Russian Ministry of Defense
The Russian Defense Ministry has published footage of what it said was the destruction of Ukrainian armored vehicles on the Donbass front line. The target was covered by trees but was reportedly identified by drones and taken out by artillery fire.
The engagement took place near the village of Urozhaynoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), according to the ministry. The settlement has been the scene of intense fighting between Ukraine and Russia since the summer.
The video shot from the air appears to show the same location – a crater-dotted field bisected by lines of trees – at different points in time. In one part of the footage, a cloud of smoke erupts from among the trees, as if produced by an explosion. The latter part of the clip shows a thinning plume of smoke rising from the same location, before a new blast sends more smoke into the air and ignites a secondary fire.
The ministry did not provide details on when the footage was taken. On Sunday, it reported conducting aerial and artillery strikes against several Ukrainian units in the DPR, including near Urozhaynoye. The location was mentioned in other ministry briefings throughout the week.
The small village drew national attention in Russia last week, after President Vladimir Putin met with three soldiers and a sergeant whose unit fended off a Ukrainian assault near Urozhaynoye in late August.
Despite being outnumbered by more than two to one, the group turned the tide on the attackers, with two defenders sustaining injuries, the ministry reported.
READ MORE: Drone strikes rare Swedish-donated Ukrainian tank (VIDEO)
The president awarded decorations to the service members, including one who received the Gold Star of the Hero of Russia, the country’s highest honor.
