DAVID AVERRE
A disagreement between Russian units in the occupied Zaporizhzhia region descended into a full-blown conflict in which at least 20 of Putin's troops died after shooting at each other with automatic weapons, it has been claimed.
Ukraine's National Resistance Centre - an organisation that helps to coordinate the operations of pro-Ukrainian movements in occupied territory - reported that Russian fighters from Dagestan clashed with a unit of Chechen troops operating under orders from the head of the Republic of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov, a close Putin ally.
A disagreement between the groups, who encountered each other in the Ukrainian town of Mykhailivka near Melitopol, led to some of the troops getting embroiled in a fist-fight. But the scrap quickly spiralled out of control.
One fighter was stabbed, at which point the violence immediately escalated and the troops drew their guns, blasting each other with automatic weapons and even grenades, according to NRC sources.
Russian fighters from Dagestan clashed with a unit of Chechen fighters operating under orders from the head of the Republic of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov (pictured), a close Putin ally
The conflict was sparked when troops from Dagestan - a poor, mountainous region of southern Russia disproportionately affected by the Russian army's conscription drive late last year - took umbrage with the arrival of the 'Kadyrovites', who are particularly vocal on social media and were allegedly in town to film propaganda clips.
Around 8pm local time, a fight broke out between the two groups.
The NRC said: 'During the quarrel, one of the occupants opened fire in the air from a small automatic weapon.
'In the course of the fight, one of the occupiers was inflicted with numerous stab wounds which were fatal.
'This led to an open confrontation between units using under-barrel grenade launchers GP-25 Koster hand grenades and small automatic weapons.'
Some 20 Russian troops slaughtered each other in the impromptu war, with the Chechen crew ultimately being overpowered by the Dagestanis, according to the NRC.
The reports of Chechen units active in the Zaporizhzhia region corroborate the account of Britain's Ministry of Defence whose intelligence update this week recognised Kadyrov's praise of his troops' work there.
'In an online post on August 10, 2023, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov acknowledged the efforts of the Chechen Vostok Akhmat Battalion in the heavily contested Orikhiv sector in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
Dagestan, a relatively poor region in southern Russia, was heavily impacted by the Russian military's mobilisation efforts last year. Widespread protests against conscription saw many arrests
'Kadyrov's comments highlighted the continuing role of one of the premier Chechen units in this key area. Vostok officially comes under the command of the Southern Military District's 42nd Motor Rifle Division which has been active around the village of Robotyne.
'Chechen forces comprise a relatively small but high-profile component of Russian forces in Ukraine. Kadyrov likely heavily promotes his units' roles partially to burnish his credentials as a Putin loyalist.'
The town of Orikhiv, where Kadyrov claims his troops were instrumental in fighting Ukrainian counterattacks, sits a mere 25 miles from Mykhailivka.
The report of Russian troops turning on one another comes as pictures from the frontlines showed Ukrainian artillerymen raining fire down on Vladimir Putin's invaders amid Kyiv's counter-offensive.
The Ukrainian military said it had pushed Russian forces out of pockets of territory along the front lines in the east and south of the country, building on the gruelling counter-offensive launched two months ago.
The gains - announced by Ukraine's deputy defence minister - came as Russia claimed its forces had progressed in the eastern Kharkiv region, undermining Kyiv's highly anticipated campaign.
Pictures from the frontlines have shown Ukrainian artillerymen raining fire down on Putin's invaders, as Kyiv's troops continue their counter-offensive
Ukrainian soldiers fire with D-30 artillery at Russian positions in the direction of Klishchiivka as the Russia-Ukraine war continues in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine on August 12
The Ukrainian military said it had pushed Russian forces out of pockets of territory along the front lines in the east and south of the country, building on the gruelling counter-offensive launched two months ago. Pictured: Ukrainian artillerymen fire shells at Russian positions
Ukraine kicked off its counter-offensive against Russian forces in June after building up assault battalions and stockpiling Western-donated weapons.
But progress has been hampered by widespread Russian-laid minefields and strong fortifications, Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said.
Nevertheless, the Ukrainian military had pushed forward around the village of Staromaiorske, around 60 miles southwest of Russian-held Donetsk, and was pressing on two fronts in the south, Maliar said. She said troops were fighting for control of the neighbouring settlement of Urozhaine.
A Moscow-installed official in an occupied part of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region said on Sunday that Kyiv was attempting to pierce Russian lines by gaining a foothold in both villages which stand in the path of Ukraine's goal of reaching the Sea of Azov.
'Hostilities are taking place in the vicinity of Urozhaine and the fight is for this particular locality,' Maliar said in a statement to an official military platform. 'There is some success on the southern and southeast axes in the vicinity of Staromaiorske.'
Maliar also said Kyiv's army had conducted 'certain tasks' on the left bank (or eastern bank) of the Dnipro river in the Kherson region.
The river was rendered the de facto front line between Ukrainian and Russian forces in the region after Kyiv recaptured the territory's main city, also called Kherson, in November.
In a recent intelligence update, the British defence ministry noted 'an uptick in small-scale combat' along the lower Dnipro river, where it said Ukrainian forces were attempting to conduct raids and set up new bridgeheads.
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