Russia says it killed large numbers of Ukrainian soldiers with a destructive so-called “vacuum bomb” in a claim Ukraine swiftly called nonsense.

The deputy chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces told Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu during a meeting that up to 300 soldiers were killed “as a result of an accurate strike by an aerial munition,” Russia’s Defense Ministry said on Saturday.

The spokesperson of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, Andriy Yusov, told CNN the claims were “absolute nonsense and propaganda as well as Russian information about killing 1500 Ukrainian soldiers in Kursk and Belgorod regions yesterday”.

The spokesperson of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, Andriy Yusov, told CNN the claims were “absolute nonsense and propaganda.”

CNN cannot independently verify the incident.

  • Sibbo@sopuli.xyz
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    4 months ago

    Hope it’s false. However, Russia likely does have some high-precision ammunition laying around, so it’s not too unlikely to be true. But the number of deaths may be exaggerated.

    • mindlight@lemm.ee
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      4 months ago

      Both sides produce propaganda so it will probably take months until we know whether this is true or not.

      We know that they have no respect whatsoever for human life, whether it’s civilians or their own soldiers, so if they could they would have used it long ago in this way.

      So yeah, I’m not going to consider this as trustworthy until there are sources confirming this that aren’t Russian and like Iran, China, India and South Africa.

      • fidodo@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        All governments produce propaganda, even all people produce propaganda. But to treat both countries the same is ridiculous. The magnitude of propaganda Russia creates is way greater than most countries.

        • Sybil@lemmy.world
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          4 months ago

          hollywood literally gives the pentagon script approval. not to mention the fact that almost all “journalism” today is just repeating what a government official has said.

          i don’t know what russian propaganda is like, but i know american propaganda, and it’s like they have made PROJECT out of PAPERCLIPping their preferred messaging to every piece of media.

    • Docus@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      They also claim destruction of three patriot complexes. If you buy that, I have a goldmine you can buy.

  • seathru@lemmy.sdf.org
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    4 months ago

    Aren’t thermobaric explosives also called vacuum bombs? That’s nothing new.

    Edit: Or is it saying the claim they took out 300 soldiers at once is nonsense? I might have misread that.

    • circuscritic@lemmy.ca
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      4 months ago

      I think they’re calling bullshit on the 300 KIA in this single strike.

      I also think CNN is headlining “vacuum bomb” because it makes it sound like some future tech wunderwaffe, and not the relatively standard use munition that fuel air bombs are.

      However, a precise strike with a thermobaric bomb on a gathering of people, building, or a compound, is something that could easily cause 300 KIA - if their was that many people there to begin with.

      It’s not good practice to take any military at their word on their enemy KIA figures, but it wouldn’t be shocking if this strike has a significant number of causalities, nor would it be shocking if Russia pulled it out of their ass.

      Who knows.

    • naturalgasbad@lemmy.ca
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      4 months ago

      300 taken out (dead/injured)… Sounds not unreasonable for a missile strike? Iskanders routinely rack up ~10 KIA and ~80 injured

  • peopleproblems@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    Look. Mr. Putin, a 500kg Eagle Air strike can take out about 15 bugs with a good shot. Thermobaric weapons are huge, but you’d need one hell of a lucky drop and concentrated enemy force to get 300 KIA