The footage was obtained from the 53rd Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Ground Forces on Wednesday, August 10.
The footage was obtained from the 53rd Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Ground Forces on Wednesday, August 10.
These images show panicked Russian soldiers driving their T-72 tank off a stretch of dirt road and straight into a pond to escape Ukrainian shelling.
The images show the tank driving straight off the dirt track and right into what appears to be a pond. A Ukrainian shell then explodes in the field behind the tank.
The footage was obtained from the 53rd Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Ground Forces – also known as the 53rd Independent Mechanized Brigade Named after Prince Volodymyr Monomakh – on Wednesday, August 10, along with a statement in English saying: “A separate mechanized brigade named after Prince Volodymyr Monomakh removes unnecessary elements from Ukrainian land.
“Moskovian military jerks drowned their ‘noble’ T-72. They came to us from the bottom, and were departed to the bottom. And it is not for nothing that folk wisdom says ‘don’t jump into the water if you don’t know the ford.’ They swallowed Ukrainian water…
“We continue to carry out combat missions and destroy the enemies of Ukraine.
“Glory to Ukraine!” (sic)
Ukrainian media outlet ICTV joked that the footage was more dramatic than the sinking of the Titanic.
The images were also relayed by the Ground Forces, the Armed Forces and the Office of Strategic Communications (StratCom) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Zenger News contacted the Ukrainian military and the head of the public relations service of the Ground Forces Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Major Fityo Volodymyr, who confirmed that the footage was authentic and that the information was accurate.
Zenger News also contacted the Russian Ministry of Defense for further comment, but had not received a reply at the time of writing.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation”. Thursday marks the 169th day of the war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between February 24 and August 11, Russia had lost about 43,000 personnel, 1,846 tanks, 4,100 armored combat vehicles, 974 artillery units, 261 multiple launch rocket systems, 134 air defense systems, 232 warplanes, 193 helicopters, 772 drones, 185 cruise missiles, 15 warships, 3,018 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 90 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower, but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures. The Pentagon said this week that Russia had suffered between 70,000 and 80,000 casualties – deaths and injuries – since the beginning of its invasion.
Ukraine has accused Russia of firing rockets from near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant – Europe’s largest – in a move that has killed at least 13 people and wounded 10, knowing that it would be difficult for Ukraine to fire back.
Ukraine says that the Kremlin targeted Marhanets, which is a town in the neighboring Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, on the other side of the Dnieper River from the nuclear power plant, that Russia has claimed that Ukraine has previously used to shell Russian soldiers at the plant.
Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, said that Kyiv will not leave Russian shelling of the Dnipropetrovsk region unanswered and vowed to inflict significant damage on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces to end the war.
Ukraine’s Air Force has estimated that up to a dozen Russian aircraft were destroyed at the Saky airbase in Crimea on Tuesday. Ukraine has not publicly claimed responsibility. Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.
President Zelensky has vowed to liberate Crimea and said: “This Russian war against Ukraine and against the entire free Europe began with Crimea and must end with Crimea – with its liberation.”
British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace has said the Saky airbase is a “legitimate target” for Ukraine. He said: “First and foremost, Russia has illegally invaded, not just in 2014, but now Ukrainian territory.” He added: “Ukraine, under UN articles, is perfectly entitled to defend its territory and take what action it needs to against an invading force.”
The EU has been urged to put a travel ban on Russian tourists. Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said that “visiting Europe is a privilege, not a human right” and that it was time to “end tourism from Russia now”.
Estonia, a member of NATO since 2004, has summoned the Russian ambassador to its country and formally protested after a Russian helicopter violated its airspace on Tuesday.
