The footage was obtained from the 71st Separate Hunting Brigade on Thursday, August 11.
The footage was obtained from the 71st Separate Hunting Brigade on Thursday, August 11.
These images show how Ukrainian troops found a Russian headquarters hidden in a forest using a drone before laying waste to tanks and armored vehicles that were camouflaged under the canopy.
The footage – caught by a drone from the 71st Separate Hunting Brigade – shows tanks and other armored vehicles camouflaged in the forest in fortified defensive positions somewhere on the Ukrainian front lines. A soldier can be seen walking past one of the vehicles.
Some of the Russian armor can be seen sporting the now infamous ‘Z’ symbol.
The ‘Z’ is one of the symbols, as well as the letters ‘V’ and ‘O’ that can be seen painted on Russian military vehicles taking part in the invasion of Ukraine.
The footage then shows the area being hit by Ukrainian ordnance, with the vehicles reportedly destroyed.
Smoke can be seen rising into the air from at least three of the vehicles before the footage ends. The footage reportedly shows at least two Russian BMP-3s. The BMP-3 is a Soviet and Russian infantry fighting vehicle that is not unlike a light tank.
The Ukrainian troops also reportedly destroyed a BTR-80 in the attack, although it is not seen in the footage. Its smoldering remains were visually confirmed after the attack, according to the Ukrainian military.
The BTR-80 is a wheeled amphibious armored personnel carrier that was first developed by the Soviet Union.
The footage was obtained from the 71st Separate Hunting Brigade – also known as the 71st Separate Yeger Brigade – on Thursday, August 11, along with a statement saying: “Rashist armored vehicles are on fire, the enemy platoon stronghold is destroyed, and the orcs are running panicked through the bushes. The drones of the 71st hunting brigade again hunted the prey and aimed our artillery at it.”
‘Rashist’ is a term that is often used by the Ukrainian forces when referring to the Russian invaders. It is a combination of the words ‘Russia’ and ‘fascism’. Ukrainian troops also often refer to the invading Russian forces as “orcs”.
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.
The images and statement were also relayed by the Office of Strategic Communications (StratCom) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
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.
