Russia posts video of paratroopers conducting urban warfare in Ukraine

"Servicemen of the urban assault group of airborne troops move under the cover of sniper and machine gun teams," the Russian Defense Ministry said on July 26 when releasing the video.

The video shows Russian paratroopers carrying a 12.7mm Kord machine gun, an anti-tank gun and a sniper rifle to the upper floors of an abandoned building, setting up a fighting position and opening fire on Ukrainian positions. They set up mortars in an open field, fired a few rounds and then retreated to avoid enemy counterattacks.

The Russian Defense Ministry said that Ukrainian forces' firing points were destroyed by mortars, but did not disclose the location of the battle or enemy casualties.

The Ukrainian military has not commented on the information.

Russia launched a special military operation on February 24 to "demilitarize and defascize Ukraine". After more than five months of fighting, the British Ministry of Defense assessed that a war of attrition was taking place in the eastern Donbass region, including Lugansk and Donetsk provinces, as well as Kherson, where both sides are in a stalemate and have not achieved significant advantages.

The Ukrainian General Staff admitted that Russian forces and separatists "made small advances" in the area of ​​the Vuhlehirska Power Plant in Donetsk Oblast, the country's second largest electricity producer.

Russian forces also heavily shelled Ukrainian positions along the front line in Donetsk province, especially near Siversk, Sloviansk, Bakhmut and Kramatorsk, the Ukrainian General Staff said. However, there were no signs that Russia was about to launch a major operation in the area.

The situation on the Ukrainian battlefield after more than 5 months of fighting. Graphics:Washington Post.