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Ukraine's military on Thursday shared a video that they said shows Russian soldiers fleeing Ukrainian forces.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine posted the clip on its Facebook page with a message that mocked the invading Russians. The video appears to show people running through a wooded area before explosions set off.
"The occupiers cannot hide from the Ukrainian paratroopers!" the caption from the General Staff read. "Frightened Russians rushed to run away from our defenders, but the attempt was unsuccessful...'This is our land and enemies have no place here, we will get everyone,' assured the soldiers. Believe in the Armed Forces!"
The video post came soon after an earlier Facebook message from Ukraine's General Staff that said Russia's military had suffered about 740 troops deaths in the past day. Ukraine further estimated that Russian President Vladimir Putin's military has lost approximately 96,000 personnel in total since the leader ordered the invasion of Ukraine in late February.
Despite reports of heavy casualties and low troop morale, Russia has claimed to have made advances in Ukraine in recent days. Putin's troops have been active in the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, and Russian officials have announced that they have made gains in the Donbas region.
Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov on Tuesday said the Russian troops had successfully attacked four command posts in Karkov, as well as two posts in Donetsk and one in Zaporizhzhia.
"In addition, they destroyed 86 artillery units at firing positions, and also manpower and military equipment in 172 areas," Konashenkov said, according to Russian news agency Tass.
On Tuesday, a Ukrainian official also warned that Russia could mount another large offensive in early 2023.
"I think the Russian ability to launch a major offensive will probably be restored sometime in late January or February," Dmytro Kuleba—head of the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs—said in a video briefing on the ministry's official YouTube channel.
He added, "But that's what they're trying to do and what we're trying to prevent."
To ward off future attacks, Ukraine could soon be gaining some valuable equipment. The Associated Press reported that President Joe Biden's administration will likely approve sending Patriot missile batteries to the country following Kyiv's requests for more armaments to help to shoot down Russian missiles.
The Patriots would be the most advanced surface-to-air missile the U.S. has provided Ukraine and will add to a Ukrainian arsenal that already includes the powerful American High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS).
Newsweek reached out to Russia's defense ministry for comment.
About the writer
Jon Jackson is a News Editor at Newsweek based in New York. His focus is on reporting on the Ukraine ... Read more