CNN reported on Russia's assertion that it had inflicted heavy casualties on Ukrainian soldiers using a devastating weapon known as a "vacuum bomb," a claim promptly dismissed by Ukraine. According to Russia's Defense Ministry, the deputy chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces informed Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu during a meeting that up to 300 soldiers were killed in what was described as a precise aerial strike.

However, Andriy Yusov, the spokesperson for Ukraine's Defense Intelligence, labeled these claims as "absolute nonsense and propaganda," similar to previous instances where Russia had disseminated false information regarding casualties among Ukrainian troops. CNN noted its inability to independently verify the incident.

Colonel General Alexei Kim, while not disclosing the exact location of the strike, referred to it as targeting the "deployment point of the ‘Kraken’ nationalist formation," a specialized unit within the Ukrainian Defense Intelligence. The weapon allegedly used was identified as a "volumetric detonation bomb," also known as a vacuum bomb or thermobaric weapon.

These weapons create devastation by igniting a fuel-air mixture to generate a blast wave and vacuum, causing significant damage. The Lieber Institute for Law & Warfare and the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation highlighted the destructive potential of such weapons, which can collapse buildings and cause internal injuries even in protected environments.

Details of the alleged airstrike were disclosed during a meeting at the headquarters of the Joint Group of Forces, where Shoigu received updates on the ongoing military operations in Ukraine. Colonel General Kim reported recent successes in targeting enemy assets, including American Patriot complexes, a Vampire multiple rocket launcher, foreign-made artillery systems, and supply depots.

Moreover, Kim asserted that Ukraine had suffered substantial losses in both equipment and personnel due to precision strikes and the use of unmanned aerial vehicles. However, CNN reiterated the difficulty of independently verifying these claims amidst the ongoing conflict. This news comes amid escalating tensions in the region, with both sides engaged in a protracted conflict marked by propaganda and disinformation campaigns.