Russian troops have reportedly used a BM-21 Grad mobile rocket launcher to ravage Ukraine’s defenses, according to a released video.
The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) shared the video May 31 with an update on its “special military operation” in Ukraine.
The Defense Ministry said: “During an inspection of the underground facilities of the Azovstal plant in Mariupol, where the surrendered Nazis of the Ukrainian Azov Brigade were hiding, Russian soldiers found an isothermal van.”
Missile troops and artillery fire on Ukrainian artillery and mortar batteries. (Ministry of Defense of Russia/Zenger)
“152 bodies of dead AFU fighters and soldiers were stored in the van with a broken cooling system.
“Before the surrender, the Azov command publicly appealed to Zelenskyy to take the bodies of the dead so that their families could bury them on the territory controlled by Kyiv.
“However, there were no requests from Kyiv to receive the bodies of the dead at the Azovstal plant.
“Moreover, during an inspection of the van, Russian sappers [combat engineers] found four mines under the bodies of dead Ukrainian soldiers.”
The statement continued: “Based on the results of the interrogation of the captured Azov fighters, it was established that the dismantling of the corpses was carried out on the direct orders of Kyiv.
“The purpose of the provocation is to accuse Russia of deliberately destroying the bodies and preventing their transfer to relatives in order to save the political ‘reputation’ of the Kiev regime and that of Zelenskyi personally.
“In the near future, the Russian side plans to hand over the bodies of Ukrainian fighters and soldiers found at the Azovstal plant to Ukrainian representatives.
“During the day, high-precision air-launched missiles hit four checkpoints and 13 areas with concentrated Ukrainian manpower and military equipment.
“Operational-tactical, army and unmanned aviation hit 3 command posts, 69 areas with concentrated manpower and military equipment, a radar station and two ammunition depots of the AFU near Raigorodok and Nikolaevka, Donetsk People’s Republic.
“The attacks resulted in the elimination of over 290 nationalists and 23 weapons and military equipment. 1 Su-25 aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force was shot down near Kobzatsy in the Nikolaev region.
“Russian air defense units shot down six Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles near Donetsk, Makeevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Popasnaya in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Liptsy, Bolshie Prokhody in the Kharkov region, including a UAV shot down near Snake Island.
“Rocket troops and artillery hit 38 command posts, 417 areas of concentrated manpower and military equipment, and 46 artillery positions and mortar batteries.
“In total, 184 Ukrainian aircraft and 128 helicopters, 1,070 unmanned aerial vehicles, 325 anti-aircraft missile systems, 3,342 tanks and other armored fighting vehicles, 454 multiple missile systems, 1,738 field artillery and mortars, and 3,311 military vehicles were destroyed during the operation,” the Russian statement claimed.
Russian troops invaded Ukraine on February 24 in what the Kremlin still calls a “military special operation”. May 31 marks the 97th day of the campaign.
From February 24 to May 31, the total combat losses of Russian troops amounted to around 30,500 men, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The Ukrainian military also claims that Russia lost 1,358 tanks, 3,302 armored fighting vehicles, 649 artillery systems, 207 multiple missile systems, 93 anti-aircraft systems, 208 combat aircraft, 174 helicopters, 2,275 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, 13 ships and 515 unmanned aerial vehicles, 48 units of special equipment and 120 cruise missiles .
Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree making it easier for Ukrainians in the occupied territories to become citizens of Russia. He also lifted the age limit for contract service in the military.
Ukraine has described Russia’s offer to unblock its Black Sea ports in exchange for lifting some sanctions as “blackmail”. The blockade has led to shortages of wheat and cooking oil worldwide.
Meanwhile, on the morning of May 30, Russian troops entered the outskirts of Sieverodonetsk and are advancing towards the city center.
Ukrainian military said: “Two residents of Sievierodonetsk were killed by Russian shells and five others were wounded. Most of them come from the same residential area in the old town. They were cooking food in the yard when the shelling suddenly started. Two residents of Syrotyne were seriously injured. All the injured received first aid and were taken to hospitals in the Donetsk region.”
This story was provided to Newsweek by Zenger News.