Ukraine's army dropped a munition carrying an unidentified toxin on the positions of the Russian military near the villages of Urozhainoye and Velikaya Novoselka in the Ugledar direction, Russian military officials told Sputnik media.
"In the morning of February 16, two enemy attack drones appeared over Russian positions near Ugledar. One of the drones was immediately shot down, while the other managed to drop a chemical munition on our positions," a military officer said.
The explosive detonated and two Russian troops exposed to the attack suffered lung burns, the officer said, adding that both men had the telltale symptoms of poisoning, including vomiting and irritation of mucous membranes.
"The fragments of the munition that detonated and the one from the downed drone were sent for examination," the officer said.
Sputnik has obtained photos of the purportedly chemical munition which looks like a metal cylinder tube covered with a black film on one of its ends.
Russia launched its special military operation in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, after the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics appealed for help in defending themselves against Ukrainian provocations. In response to Russia’s operation, Western countries have rolled out a comprehensive sanctions campaign against Moscow and have been supplying weapons to Ukraine.
On September 30 last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin and the heads of the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics, as well as Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, signed agreements on the accession of these territories to Russia, following referendums that showed that an overwhelming majority of the local population supported becoming part of Russia.
DPR head announces improvement of Russian forces’ positions near Artyomovsk
Russian forces have strengthened their positons near Artyomovsk, Denis Pushilin, acting head of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), said on Saturday.
"Artymovsk is being liberated. Now we have information about the improvement of positons on its outskirts, that is Praskovyevka (Paraskovyevka - TASS) has been liberated, which also enables us to advance closer to the blocking of the remaining road towards Chasov Yar, which is in fact the only of five roads, which remains the enemy supply route," he told reporters on the sidelines of a workshop for regional headquarters of the We Are Together volunteers.
According to Pushilin, blocking the road towards Chasov Yar will bring the liberation of Artyomovsk closer.
"It is actually one road, but it is branched. In other words, it has to be blocked and then we’ll bring the liberation of Artyomovsk drastically closer," the DPR acting head said.
About 62.5% of Zaporozhye Region controlled by Russia — acting governor
Russian forces have control over about 62.5% of the Zaporozhye Region, Acting Regional Governor Yevgeny Balitsky said on Saturday.
"As of now, 62.5% of the region is controlled by the Zaporozhye administration and Russian troops," he told reporters on the sidelines of a seminar for the regional headquarters of volunteers of the We Are Together campaign.
Russian forces liberate Gryanikovka settlement in Kharkov Region — Defense Ministry
Russia’s Western group of forces have completely liberated the Gryanikovka settlement in the Kharkov Region, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov told reporters on Saturday.
"The Gryanikovka settlement in the Kharkov Region has been completely liberated as a result of an offensive operation by the Western group of forces along the Kupyansk frontline," he said.
Russia’s MoD briefing on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine:
▪️In the Kharkov region, the settlement of Gryanikovka was completely liberated as a result of the offensive actions of the Russian troops.
▪️In addition, Russian air strikes and artillery fire inflicted a defeat on enemy soldiers and equipment in the LPR and Kharkov region. The losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in this direction amounted to up to 80 troops, three armored combat vehicles, four vehicles, the Msta-B howitzer and the Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer.
▪️In the LPR, Russian troops inflicted a comprehensive fire defeat on units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. More than a hundred Ukrainian troops, two armored combat vehicles, two vehicles, Akatsia and Gvozdika self-propelled howitzers, as well as D-20 and D-30 howitzers were destroyed in this direction.
▪️ In the DPR, with the support of Russian air strikes and artillery fire, the units continued their offensive. Up to 150 Ukrainian troops, five armored combat vehicles, three other vehicles, a Grad MLRS combat vehicle and a Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer were destroyed. Also, three warehouses of ammunition and rocket and artillery weapons of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were destroyed.
▪️In the Zaporozhye region and the DPR, Russian aviation and artillery inflicted damage on enemy troops and equipment. Enemy losses amounted to more than 50 killed and wounded, four armored combat vehicles, two pickup trucks and a D-20 howitzer. In addition, an ammunition depot of the 72nd Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was destroyed near the settlement of Ugledar.
▪️In the Kherson region, as a result of fire damage, up to 20 Ukrainian troops, as well as four Gvozdika self-propelled howitzers, were destroyed in a day.
▪️Russian aviation, missile forces and artillery defeated 85 artillery units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine at firing positions, troops and military equipment in 112 districts.
▪️Air defense systems shot down 11 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles per day.
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