Russia Claims It Took Out Ukrainian Positions In Zaporizhzhia With Long-Range Artillery

This footage purports to show Russian artillery destroying buildings where Ukrainian reserves were based in Zaporizhzhia.

Russian Ministry of Defence footage from 1st September reportedly shows the strikes in Ukraine's south-eastern Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

The video shows a gun opening fire before the footage cuts to a number of buildings, allegedly the sites where the reserves were housed, being destroyed.

The Russian MoD claimed crews of Giatsint-S self-propelled howitzers from its Vostok grouping of forces destroyed the accommodation, saying: "Self-propelled Giatsint-S howitzer crews of the Vostok Group of Forces destroyed AFU reserve deployment sites in the Zaporozhye region."

The 2S5 Giatsint-S is a Soviet designed 152mm self-propelled artillery piece that entered service in the late 1970s and carries a crew of five.

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

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

(Joe Golder/Clipzilla/NX)