Russia Claims It Took Out Ukrainian Positions In Zaporizhzhia Using Howitzers

This footage purports to show Russian artillery crews shelling fortified Ukrainian positions in Zaporizhzhia.

Russian Ministry of Defence footage from 31st August reportedly shows the strikes in Ukraine's south-eastern Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

The video shows a howitzer opening fire before cutting to a number of explosions on the battlefield, reportedly the Ukrainian positions being hit.

The Russian MoD claimed crews of Msta-B guns from its Vostok grouping of forces destroyed Ukrainian strongpoints in the region.

The 2A65 Msta-B is a Soviet designed 152mm towed howitzer that entered service in the late 1980s and is operated by a crew of eight.

Russian forces took around two-thirds of Zaporizhzhia Oblast in the opening weeks of the invasion but were halted short of the regional capital.

Moscow declared the region annexed in September 2022, along with Donetsk, Luhansk and Kherson, despite not controlling any of them in full.

Monday marked 1,650 days since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24th February 2022, in what the Kremlin still officially calls a "special military operation".

We have not been able to independently verify the images or the statement.

(Joe Golder/Clipzilla/NX)