Photo via @Balshone/Twitter, @AlchevskUA/Twitter
February 25, 2022, 2:45 pm
Horrifying footage out of Ukraine shows a tank reportedly seized by Russian soldiers swerving off its path in what looks like an intentional move to run over and crush a civilian car that was headed in the opposite direction down a highway. Miraculously, additional footage shows the elderly driver alive and conscious as fellow Ukrainians work together to free him from the utterly destroyed vehicle.
Featured Video Hide
The following video may be disturbing to some viewers and includes sounds of screaming and crying from the Ukrainian woman who caught the tank attack on film.
Advertisement Hide
Graphic
A Russian tank swerves & runs over civilian car.
Peacekeepers my ass.
This is sheer cruelty. pic.twitter.com/JMMgTobm9X— Ann is still European
Stand with Ukraine
(@56blackcat) February 25, 2022
The footage has served to further damage the claim from Russian President Vladimir Putin that his invasion of Ukraine is meant to rescue Russian loyalists or that his soldiers are “peacekeepers.” It shows the tank veering from its lane on a road and heading directly for a small car, running all the way over it, stopping, and then reversing off of the vehicle. The video has been verified by Snopes fact-checkers.
A witness and resident of the Ukrainian neighborhood of Obolon in Kyiv confirmed the incident to reporters.
“Two [armored] vehicles were driving along the road, and the second of them deliberately drove into the oncoming lane,” he said.
Additional videos showed Ukrainian citizens working to free the driver, who appeared to be an elderly man, from the wreckage of the car. The man appeared to be conscious and relatively unharmed, compared to what you would expect, though no reports have confirmed his condition. The official Twitter account for the Ukrainian city of Alchevsk, however, said that he received medical treatment once he was freed.
Водій, якого затиснула російська бойова машина – вижив. Зараз йому надають медичну допомогу. pic.twitter.com/KYqKSg1JWx
— Алчевськ UA
Advertisement Hide
There have been increasing reports of Russian tanks in the Ukrainian capital as fighting continues. Reporters have stated that the mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, has said that these tanks are “very close to the capital” and warned of a “difficult night” for the city. Meanwhile, those on the ground are reporting increasingly intense explosions and expect that things will get worse as the night goes on.
Meanwhile, multiple nations continue to announce new sanctions against Russia for this invasion, and a NATO Response Force has been activated for the first time in history to provide support troops to the resisting Ukrainian military. There are also many reports of civilians lining up to join both the army and informal militias to fight back against Russian aggression.
Much of the world has come to stand with Ukraine in their fight to maintain their independence and have called for Putin to withdraw Russian forces. The footage of the tank attacking a random civilian vehicle is not helping Russia’s image.
Advertisement Hide
this tank INTENDED to run over that one car on the road. the grandmother inside was rescued by fellow citizens
haven’t seen a tweet yet about her condition— m (@1987traveler) February 25, 2022
*First Published: February 25, 2022, 2:45 pm
0 Comments