Soldier of Ukraine's 5th Regiment of Assault Infantry react after firing a US-made MK-19 automatic grenade launcher towards Russian positions in less than 800 metres away at a front line near Toretsk in the Donetsk region
AFP

KEY POINTS

  • Ukraine's defense ministry posted a short video tutorial of turning Russia's Mi-8 into a flaming 'jack-o'-lantern'
  • Ukraine also threatened to use Javelin and HIMARS to 'subdue the evil spirits'
  • Russia has lost about 71,820 soldiers since the invasion began in February

Ukraine on Monday mocked Russia's Ministry of Defense, saying it will send an "Ouija board" to help it stay in touch with Russian soldiers who were killed in the war.

Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. Since then, Russia has lost about 71,820 soldiers, including 620 in the past day, per estimates from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

"So, it's Halloween. Everyone thinks about the treats. Perhaps it's time we send an Ouija board to [the] Russian Ministry of Defense, so they can stay connected with over 70,000 of their personnel in Ukraine," the defense ministry wrote in a Twitter post.

The defense ministry also made a number of other Halloween-themed posts mocking Russia's losses in the war, including a "short video tutorial" on turning a Russian Mi-8 helicopter into a "jack-o'-lantern" and another celebrating the Ukrainian Air Force's success in shooting down over 40 Russian missiles "before their first cup of coffee."

"A short video tutorial from #UAarmy on how to turn a Russian Mi-8 into a flaming jack-o'-lantern," the defense ministry wrote in one post.

"This morning, the Air Force successfully shot down 44 Russian cruise missiles. All this before their first cup of coffee," another post read.

In a fourth post, Ukraine seemingly threatened to use Javelin and HIMARS artillery systems to "subdue the evil spirits" in reference to the Russian army.

"On the occasion of Halloween, the Russians decided to carry out another act of missile terror. But tomorrow is All Saints' Day. Saint Javelin and Saint HIMARS will subdue the evil spirits," the post read.

The posts come as Russia sent a barrage of missiles to Ukrainian cities on Monday, leaving a majority of Kyiv households without water or power. Russian President Vladimir Putin said the missile onslaught was "partly" in response to a drone attack on Russia's Black Sea Fleet in the city of Sevastopol in the annexed Crimean Peninsula.

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Putin blamed the attack on Ukraine. Kyiv, on the other hand, has not claimed responsibility for the attack.

Putin later added that the missile strikes are "not all we could do" but did not elaborate on any further details, per CNN.

Russia launched a massive attack on infrastructure across Ukraine, leaving up to 80 percent of Kyiv without water and "hundreds" of towns without electricity
AFP
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