Ukrainian troops have shot down five Russian helicopters, destroyed dozens of tanks and captured dozens of troops in the first hours since Vladimir Putin ordered his forces to invade this morning.
With an Air Defense System and Air Force dating back to Soviet times, Kiev’s Military is much inferior to that of Russia.
But NATO and the US, despite deploying soldiers to neighbouring Romania in recent months, have made it clear that no troops will be sent and left the Ukrainian military to hold off the assault alone.
On Thursday, fighting was still ongoing in Kiev along the Belarusian border.
It is unlikely that Ukraine will emerge victorious in what appears to be a long, bloody and vicious conflict. But, Kiev’s forces seem to have suffered heavy losses against Putin’s troops so far.
MailOnline examines the Russian losses that Ukrainian forces inflicted upon Russia.
At least 15 T-72 tank tanks were damaged or destroyed by Ukrainian forces. The Javelin PTRK is an anti-tank weapon from America. It was used to close in on Glukhov, the eastern part of the country, late today afternoon.
During a Battle for Gostomel, Ukrainian forces claimed that they shot at least four Russian KA-52 Alligator attack helicopters out of the sky. The fifth helicopter, (pictured), was forced to perform an emergency landing on the field after being subjected to heavy fire.
A photograph taken near Kiev depicts what looks like the remains of a Russian attack helicopter. It also shows a soldier parachuting from it (towards the frame).
Ukraine has been attacked from all sides. In the morning, missiles and bombs were dropped on various targets in Ukraine. There was also troop attack by the Donbasss, Belgorod and Belarus. Also, helicopter landings at Kiev and power plants along the Dnieper River. Russian forces also took the Chernobyl nuclear power station.
Helicopters, planes and jets
Earlier today, Ukrainian forces claimed to have shot out of the air up to four Russian KA-52 Alligator attack helicopters during a battle for Gostomel air base.
Under heavy fire, a fifth helicopter had to land on the field in an emergency.
A squadron comprising 20 Russian helicopters flooded the sky over Kiev just after noon on Thursday to bombard the runway.
However, the Ukrainian ground forces launched an attack to retaliate. As the Russian helicopters were shooting at the sky, the jets were seen streaking above the city and we moved in to take the field.
Russian helicopter crashes somewhere above Kiev, while the remains of what looks like a plane fall from the sky near the capital.
It was clear that the intruders had been very close to the capital. A second panicked wave was sparked by the distant sounds of fighter planes above the capital.
Ukrainian forces claimed that six Russian aircraft were shot out of the sky in the eastern Donbass, while another appeared to be falling from near the capital.
Shortly after 7pm GMT on Tuesday, Russia’s defence ministry said a Russian Antonov An-26 transport plane carrying military equipment crashed in its southern Voronezh region near Ukraine, killing all crew members on board.
In the Gostomel area, five helicopters were destroyed or downed. This included the one that was forced to land under intense fire from the Ukrainian forces.
According to Russian news agencies, the defense ministry stated that an An-26 Russian aircraft crashed during a flight intended for transporting military equipment.
“The crew was killed,” the statement claimed, but did not provide any specifics.
Defence ministry claimed equipment failure caused the crash. It said that no damage had occurred on the ground.
A spokeswoman for the defense ministry, who confirmed that the accident occurred, but refused to give details about how many people were among those killed.
An-26 aircraft can carry six crew members or 38 military personnel.
Tanks
Today, Ukrainian forces destroyed many Russian tanks at the borders of eastern and northern Ukraine.
Ukrainian forces resisted Kharkiv’s attempts to destroy multiple Russian armoured vehicles and tanks. Several bodies were seen lying on the streets.
Later this morning another BMP fighting vehicle was captured, along with the crew of four Russian soldiers, in the same region in eastern Ukraine.
At 2pm GMT (12pm GMT), the Ukrainian military announced that troops had destroyed 5 armoured transport vehicles as well as a vehicle during combat at the VistupovichRudnya border between Ukraine and Belarus.
The Ukrainian forces used the Javelin PTRK (an American anti-tank weapon), to destroy or damage 15 more T-72 tanks.
This morning, four Russian soldiers and a BMP fighter vehicle were taken prisoner in fighting near Kharkiv.
Troops
Officials today confirmed that Ukrainian forces have captured dozens of Russian soldiers.
Two men, thought to be Rafik Rakhmankulov (19 years old) and Mgomd Mgomdov (26 years old), were captured during fighting in Kharkiv.
Ukrainian forces captured four more Russian soldiers from the BMP combat vehicle crew, which was near Luhansk. After being taken by Kiev’s troops, they were seen lying down with their jackets over their heads.
The commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian armed forces later said his soldiers had captured the 74th brigade of motorcycle rifles, believed to be a reconnaissance platoon made up of 20 to 50 soldiers, had surrendered.
This announcement featured a photograph of a male with bandaged arms and bloody uniform that appeared to read ‘Russian Army’.
Ukrainian service members were later seen detaining troops from the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic after they were captured during an attack on the town of Schast’ye this morning.
As of mid-afternoon, estimates of deaths and injuries were nearly non-existent. However, one Ukrainian official said that the Russian death toll was around 50.
Ukrainian forces take custody of Lugansk People’s Republic soldiers who were captured in the attack on Schast’ye.
The Ukrainian military captured servicemen of Luhansk People’s Republic, a self-proclaimed republic, this morning after Russia invaded the country.
Ukrainian troops detain troops at the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic Thursday morning
The commander in chief of the Ukrainian military armed forces stated later that the entire 74th Brigade of motorbike rifles was captured by his soldiers. An image of a wounded man and a bloody uniform was uploaded to the announcement. It said “Russian Army”.
Ukrainian forces have captured two Russian soldiers – thought to be Rafik Rakhmankulov (left), and Mgomd Mgomdov (right), both from Kizilyurt – in Ukraine’s eastern.
Ukrainian forces fighting around Kharkiv captured weapons and knives from two Russian soldiers.
After being captured and taken to their vehicle by Ukrainian forces (pictured right), the Russian BMP fighter vehicle crew is seen with their heads down, jackets over their heads.