This is the moment Russian troops fire high-precision missiles into the air and reportedly destroy the Motor Sich engine plant in south-eastern Ukraine.

The Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) said in a statement on 25th May: “Demining and demilitarization operations at the seaport of Mariupol, liberated from Ukrainian militants, in the Donetsk People’s Republic has been completed and is now operating on a normal basis.

“High-precision long-range air- and sea-based missiles in Zaporozhye (Zaporizhzhia) have destroyed the production facilities of the Motor Sich plant, which produced engines for combat aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force, including UAVs.

“In addition, reserve units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces deployed to reinforce the formations of Ukrainian troops in Donbass have been eliminated near the Pokrovskoe railway station in the Dnepropetrovsk region.

“High-precision air-based missiles have hit 3 command posts, including 1 command post of the 14th Mechanised Brigade and 1 communications hub in Vrubovka and Bakhmut, 1 AFU radio technical centre near Dneprovskoe, Nikolaev region, 1 logistics centre of the 72nd Motorised Infantry Brigade near Soledar, 2 fuel bases in Kovyagin and Bezlyudovka, Kharkov region, 2 air defence radar posts and military equipment at a storage base near Bakhmut, and 16 areas of concentrated AFU manpower and military equipment during the day.”

The Russian military said: “Operational-tactical and army aviation have hit 2 missile-artillery weapons and ammunition depots near Dolina in Kharkov region and Posad-Pokrovskoe in Nikolaev region, the territorial defence headquarters in Soledar, and 46 areas of concentrated manpower and military equipment.

“The attacks resulted in the elimination of over 300 nationalists and up to 46 armoured and motor vehicles.

“Russian air defence fighters have shot down 1 Mi-8 helicopter of the Ukrainian Air Force over Barmashovo, Nikolaev region.

“Also, 11 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down in the air near Snake Island, Glubokoe, Pershotravnevoe, Bolshie Prokhody, Kharkiv region, and Verhnetoretskoe, Stavki, Terny, including 1 Bayraktar TB-2 near Shandrigolovo, Donetsk People’s Republic.

“Missile troops and artillery have hit 51 command posts, 385 areas of concentrated AFU manpower and military equipment, as well as 53 artillery and mortar batteries in firing position.”

The Russian MoD claimed: “In total, 178 Ukrainian airplanes, 126 helicopters, 1,006 unmanned aerial vehicles, 322 anti-aircraft missile systems, 3,258 tanks and other armoured combat vehicles, 430 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,671 field artillery and mortars, as well as 3,155 units of special military vehicles have been destroyed during the operation.”