Ukrainian Fighters Destroy Russian Aerial Reconnaissance Position In Revenge

This footage shows Ukrainian artillery air reconnaissance striking Russian drone operators with a drone as they "take revenge for every rocket or shahed, dropped on civilian infrastructure".

The footage shows Russian drone operators walking in and out of a bomb shelter when they are caught off guard by a drone that drops a bomb over their heads somewhere near the Kharkiv region.

The images were obtained by Newsflash on 20th December by the 'Achilles' - air reconnaissance company of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, along with a statement that said: "The command of the artillery air reconnaissance company 'ACHILLES' revealed the enemy's positions and struck the personnel of the Russian drone operators.

"We take revenge for our skin, brothers and sisters, for every rocket or shahed, dropped on civilian infrastructure.

"No crime goes without a trace."

The Shahed, called Geran-2 in Russian service, is an Iranian unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) in the form of an autonomous pusher-prop drone.

The images were also relayed by the Centre of Strategic Communications (StratCom) of Ukraine, along with a short statement: "The 'ACHILLES' artillery air reconnaissance company of the 128th battalion of the 112th brigade of the territorial defence of Kyiv inflicted fire damage on enemy air reconnaissance positions in the Kharkiv-Svativ direction."

Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin is still calling a "special military operation". Today marks the 300th day of the invasion.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February and 20th December, Russia had lost about 99,230 personnel, 2,995 tanks, 5,974 armoured combat vehicles, 1,960 artillery units, 410 multiple launch rocket systems, 212 air defence systems, 281 warplanes, 266 helicopters, 1,680 drones, 653 cruise missiles, 16 warships, 4,599 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 177 units of special equipment.

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

Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk on 19th December, increasing Ukrainian fears that Lukashenko will be coerced into opening a new invasion front. However, the two reportedly barely mentioned Ukraine.

The two leaders spoke about the benefits of cooperation while claiming that Belarus still faces a Western threat.

The US has accused United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of "apparently yielding to Russian threats" by not inspecting drones allegedly supplied by Iran to Russia for use in Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has asked Western leaders to provide more weapons and military support during a meeting in Latvia after drones attacked Kyiv and damaged critical infrastructure on 19th December.

Ukraine's energy system is reportedly struggling, as Russian attacks and low temperatures have put significant strains on the power grid.

European officials have agreed to intervene in the energy crisis and to cap gas prices at EUR 180 (GBP 157) in a so-called gas market correction mechanism that is set to apply from 15th February.

And the Kremlin has called the European gas price cap a violation of market pricing, stating that Russia needs time to come up with a response.

The Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) is reportedly clashing with other pro-Russian authorities over DPR employees allegedly detaining trucks travelling from Crimea and illegally confiscating drivers' vehicles and personal documents for no apparent reason.

The Russian-backed Crimean chairman of the Association of Freight Carriers and Freight Forwarders, Anatoly Tsurkin, has posted a public appeal to DPR head Denis Pushilin calling for Pushilin to regulate the "illegal, groundless actions that are carried out on the territory of the DPR" by employees.