Latest news with #OleksandrPivnenko
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Moment Ukrainian forces wipe out Russian platoon on front line as drone footage shows personnel carrier destroyed and soldiers picked off - after Putin secured biggest 24-hour gains for a YEAR
This is the moment Ukrainian forces wipe out a Russian platoon pushing forward on the front line as drone footage shows a personnel carrier destroyed and fleeing troops picked off. It comes amid the Russian army's biggest 24-hour advance into Ukraine in over a year, just ahead of the Trump-Putin summit, according to an AFP analysis of data from the US-based Institute for the Study of War. In a video released by Oleksandr Pivnenko, Commander of the National Guard of Ukraine, a Russian armoured personnel carrier can be seen advancing towards the Pokrovsk front in eastern Ukraine. Aerial reconnaissance recorded the rapid advance of the Russian platoon before Ukrainian soldiers destroyed the personnel carrier with targetted drone attacks. Russian troops attempting to flee the scene are then shot down in a matter of seconds. 'Thanks to our professional actions, a Russian platoon was destroyed and the assault attempt was thwarted,' Pivnenko said, adding that National Guard soldiers had repelled 27 Russian assault actions on the battlefield over the past day, destroying three units of armored vehicles, eight artillery systems and more. The Russian army took 110 square kilometres (42.5 square miles) of land in its lightning offensive on August 12 - the most territory it has seized in 24 hours since late May 2024. The Ukrainian military estimates some 110,000 Russian troops are advancing in the direction of Pokrovsk in what may prove to be a major breakthrough for Vladimir Putin. In recent months, Moscow has typically taken five or six days to progress at such a pace, although Russian advances have accelerated in recent weeks. The US and Russian presidents, Donald Trump and Putin, are to meet in Alaska on Friday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged Tuesday that Russian troops had advanced by up to 10 kilometres (six miles) near the eastern coal mining town of Dobropillia, but that Kyiv would soon 'destroy them'. Russia said Wednesday that it had taken two villages close to Dobropillia. About 70 percent of Russia's advances in Ukraine so far this year are in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, which the Kremlin claimed to have annexed in September 2022. As of August 12, Moscow controlled or claimed to control 79 percent of the region, up from 62 percent a year ago. The Russian army has also been attempting to seize the mining town of Pokrovsk for more than 18 months, following its capture of Bakhmut in May 2023. The last two major cities held by Kyiv in the region are also at risk. They are Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, which is an important logistical hub for the front. Russia, which invaded Ukraine in 2022, has made costly but incremental gains across the sprawling front in recent months Russian progress in Ukraine has accelerated every month since April. Between August 12, 2024 and August 12, 2025, the Russian army captured more than 6,100 square kilometres, four times more than the previous year, according to the AFP analysis of the institute's data. However, these Russian advances account for less than 1 percent of pre-war Ukraine's territory, including Crimea and Donbass. Russia currently has full or partial control over 19 percent of Ukrainian territory. Kyiv diverted special forces units to hold off the Russian advance on the ground and the Ukrainian army said it was engaged in 'heavy' battles. 'Our units are waging heavy defensive battles against superior enemy forces,' the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine wrote on Telegram, adding: 'The situation is difficult and dynamic, but the Defence Forces are taking all necessary measures to detect and destroy enemy groups.' It comes as the Ukrainian President travelled to Berlin on Wednesday for a German-hosted virtual meeting with Donald Trump and European leaders, two days before the U.S. president meets Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. Europe's leaders are trying to drive home the perils of selling out Kyiv's interests at the first U.S.-Russia summit since 2021.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Yahoo
Ukraine's National Guard unveils new multiple rocket launcher
The National Guard of Ukraine has presented a modernised multiple-launch rocket system (MLRS) – a 122-mm system developed on the basis of the HMMWV vehicle platform. Source: Commander of the National Guard Oleksandr Pivnenko Details: The system is said to offer exceptional mobility and cross-country capability, reaching speeds of up to 100 km/h, including off-road conditions. The maximum firing range is up to 40 km. Quote from Pivnenko: "The installed electronic warfare systems allow us to counter enemy drones and radar, reducing the likelihood of detection. The new MLRS meets the need for compact and manoeuvrable systems capable of supporting company- and battalion-level units. In the context of the ongoing war, the mobility and low visibility of the system enable the National Guard to effectively strike targets. Cooperation with electronic warfare and aerial reconnaissance units helps avoid counter-battery fire." Details: Pivnenko emphasised that the system aligns strongly with the tactics of "manoeuvre warfare, where speed and coordination are decisive". Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
6 senior National Guard officials suspended from posts amid corruption probe
Six senior officials from the logistics division of Ukraine's National Guard have been suspended from their posts, the Interior Ministry said on May 10, amid the launch of an internal investigation. "Full cooperation is being provided to the investigation," the Interior Ministry wrote. Ukrainian media outlet reported on May 10 that their law enforcement sources confirmed an ongoing probe by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) into suspected embezzlement, money laundering, and bribery, under relevant articles of the Criminal Code. Oleksandr Pivnenko, the commander of the National Guard, is suspected of receiving a bribe of up to Hr 190 million ($4.6 million) in collusion with other officials, reported. The payments were allegedly made in exchange for facilitating contract awards and favouring specific entrepreneurs in public procurement tenders. The director and deputy director of the logistics department of the National Guard are also suspected of embezzlement and money laundering, reported. Investigators suspect the two officials of embezzling Hr 199 million ($4.8 million) from National Guard funds. According to the probe, the officials allegedly purchased FV-series tracked armored personnel carriers at inflated prices. Ukraine's military has seen a number of procurement scandals since the start of Russia's full-scale war. Earlier on April 2, Ukraine's anti-corruption bodies announced charges in a corruption case involving overpriced food purchases by the Defense Ministry between 2022 and 2023. Read also: $18 million embezzlement — Anti-graft agencies shed light on military food procurement scandal, press charges We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukraine's National Guard brigade retakes Russian-held position on Pokrovsk front
A rapid response unit from the 4th Battalion of the 3rd Brigade of Ukraine's National Guard, also known as the Spartan Brigade, has successfully retaken a Russian-held position on the Pokrovsk front. Source: Oleksandr Pivnenko, Commander of Ukraine's National Guard Details: The brigade reported that Ukrainian forces had breached Russian defensive lines and reclaimed a fortified position previously under Russian control. The soldiers dismounted from an armoured personnel carrier, which then opened fire to support the infantry's advance. Footage released shows the National Guard fighters attacking the Russian forces. Background: On 4 May, Ukraine's Air Force released a video featuring the Patriot air defence system operator who intercepted a Russian Kinzhal hypersonic missile over Kyiv in 2023 for the first time ever. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukrainian National Guard captures group of Russian infantrymen
Ukrainian fighters from the 2nd Battalion of the 15th Operational Assignment Kara Dah Brigade of the National Guard have captured a Russian infantry group that was trying to gain a foothold in the area of responsibility of the Ukrainian unit on the Kupiansk front. Source: Oleksandr Pivnenko, Commander of the National Guard, on Telegram Quote: "Fighters from the 2nd Battalion of the 15th Operational Assignment Kara Dah Brigade captured an enemy infantry group that had been trying to gain a foothold in the unit's area of responsibility on the Kupiansk front." Details: Pivnenko reported that the Russian group had been spotted in advance with the help of drones. The Russians decided not to risk their lives and voluntarily surrendered. Background: On 21 April, it was reported that Ukrainian paratroopers, together with adjacent units of the defence forces, had captured nine Russian servicemen on the Kursk front in Russia. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
