This is the moment Russian servicemen fire a flurry of Kalibr missiles into the sky and allegedly destroy a Ukrainian battalion.

The Russian MoD said in a statement this morning (22nd April): “The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation in Ukraine.

“Kalibr high-precision long-range missiles destroyed a battalion of enemy personnel with weapons and military equipment near Miliorativnoe railway station.”

The Russian MoD added: “High-precision air-based missiles of the Russian Aerospace Forces and hit three military assets of Ukraine.

“One Ukrainian S-300 anti-aircraft missile system was destroyed near Novoselka.

“One command post and an area of Ukrainian manpower and military equipment concentrated near Aleksandrovka were hit. Up to 80 nationalists, as well as over 23 armoured vehicles and cars, were destroyed.

“One Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was shot down by high-precision air-to-air missile.

“Operational-tactical aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces hit 58 Ukrainian military assets. Among them: four command posts, three fuel depots, and 51 areas of Ukrainian manpower and military equipment concentration.”

The Russian military said: “Missile troops and artillery carried out 1,285 firing missions during the night. They destroyed: nine fuel depots, 37 command posts, and 1,221 strong points, areas of enemy’s manpower and military equipment.

“Russian air defence destroyed seven Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles near Staromaiorskoe, Yasinovataya, Staromikhailovka and Kalinovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, as well as near Aleksandrovka and Tokarevo in Kherson region.

“In addition, a Buk-M3 anti-aircraft missile system crew shot down one Ukrainian Tochka-U tactical missile near Donetsk.

“In total, 140 aircraft and 106 helicopters, 520 unmanned aerial vehicles, 257 anti-aircraft missile systems, 2,448 tanks and other armoured combat vehicles, 271 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,062 field artillery and mortars, as well as 2,289 units of special military vehicles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were destroyed during the operation.”

Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin called a “special military operation”. Today marks the 58th day of the invasion.

From 24th February to 22nd April, the total combat losses of Russian troops stand at 21,200 personnel, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian military also claims that Russia has lost 838 battle tanks, 2,162 combat armoured vehicles, 397 artillery systems, 138 MLR systems, 69 anti-aircraft systems, 176 warplanes, 153 helicopters, 1,523 vehicles, 8 vessels, 76 fuel tank trucks, 172 operational-tactical level UAVs, 27 units of special equipment, and four mobile SRBM systems.