A Russian rocket launcher camouflaged as a fir tree put on an amazing show of firepower in footage released by the Kremlin.

The Iskander mobile rocket system can be seen approaching the forest launch site covered in camouflaged netting.

Tree branches and leaves would make the mobile weapons system appear from the air like a giant fallen tree.

In a statement obtained by Newsflash, the Russian MoD said on 25th April that a unit with a 9K720 Iskander mobile ballistic missile system “launched a missile attack on warehouses with weapons and ammunition of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU)”.

The Russian military added: “In the course of the special military operation, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue to strike at the military infrastructure of the Ukrainian Armed Forces with precision-guided missiles.

“Intelligence troops discovered warehouses with weapons, military equipment and ammunition of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the hangars.

“It was established that all this equipment was intended for subsequent delivery to the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in battle formations.

“After the information was confirmed by the technical means of reconnaissance, the warehouses were attacked by an Iskander operational-tactical missile system (OTRK).”

The Russian MoD said the missile system was positioned in a field, camouflaged and loaded with a ballistic missile, adding: “Servicemen calculated the target’s position and fired.

“Then they left the firing position at top speed and took up new ones to carry out launches on the next targets.”

Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin called a “special military operation”. Today marks the 61st day of the invasion.

From 24th February to 24th April, the total combat losses of Russian troops stand at 21,900 personnel, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian military also claims that Russia has lost 884 battle tanks, 2,258 combat armoured vehicles, 411 artillery systems, 149 MLR systems, 69 anti-aircraft systems, 181 warplanes, 154 helicopters, 1,566 vehicles, 8 vessels, 76 fuel tank trucks, 201 operational-tactical level UAVs, 28 units of special equipment, and four mobile SRBM systems.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Russia is failing in all of its war aims in Ukraine following his short visit to the besieged country.

The talks involving Blinken and US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin in Kyiv on Sunday mark the highest-level visit by US officials since the Russian invasion began.

Officials say Washington has pledged over USD 700 million (GBP 549 million) in additional military aid to Kyiv.