THRILLING footage shows how Ukrainian troops and tanks stormed Russian lines despite being significantly outnumbered.
In a video resembling an action movie, point-of-view vision from a tank shows the vehicle blast away as it advances to enemy lines.
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It shows the Ukrainian third separate assault brigade bidding to regain territory in the Kharkiv region in the country’s battered northeast.
Blockbuster video cuts to military officers coordinating strikes from a control centre as tanks rumble and troops fire rockets.
On-the-ground footage, seemingly from a soldier’s helmet cam, provides a rare glimpse of the frontline and close-combat fighting.
Vision also shows a series of drone strikes launched from above, exploding into enemy targets below as smoke billows from the turf.
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The brigade successfully reclaimed a slice of Ukrainian territory, according to colonel Andrii Biletskyi.
The triumph came despite a ratio of troops of about 2.5 to 1 in Moscow’s favour, he said.
The commander added it also secured some relief from advancing Russian forces in nearby combat zones.
He said: “The main objective of the operation was to bring down the offensive potential of the 20th Army of Russia.
“At the moment, this objective has been accomplished.
“The uniqueness of the operation was that we attacked the superior enemy and won.
“The success depended on detailed planning, non-standard solutions, and coordinated work of artillery, air defence, drones, and intelligence.
“But the heroes of the battlefield were tank crewmen, sappers, scouts, and, above all, assault-men.
“The assault actions have deflected the enemy’s blow from the direction of Makiivka and relieved tension from other critical sections of the front in the lines of neighbouring brigades.”
Biletskyi said the Russians would now ratchet up attacks with rockets and long-range artillery as they sweat over lost ground.
He said: “Russia is trying to regain the lost ground. However, the 3rd Assault Brigade holds the line.”
Over the border, Kyiv’s troops have been busy blowing up Vlad’s bridges.
Footage showed a series of rocket attacks as bridges get blown to pieces.
Video also showed Ukrainian Defence Forces demolishing Russian field munitions, fuel depots, a radio-electronic warfare complex, and a 152-mm D-20 gun, a Ukrainian military officer told the Kyiv Post.
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Kyiv admitted on Wednesday for the first time that it had used US-made weapons in its Kursk incursion, with Washington yet to respond.
Military officers say the strikes were carried out with the intention of cutting off Russian supply routes being used to plan attacks against Ukraine.
Another reason for demolishing Russia’s pontoon bridges is to demoralise Moscow’s forces.
Russian ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov has since claimed a planned Russian response to the Kursk incursion is imminent.
Quoted by Russia’s TASS news agency, he said: “I tell you sincerely that the president (Vlad) has made a decision.
“I am firmly convinced that everyone will be severely punished for what has happened in Kursk region.”
He didn’t elaborate on Vlad’s plans, although his comments come after the Kremlin leader held a crunch meeting on Thursday.
Among the invitees were governors of border regions, more than a fortnight following Ukraine’s launch of the biggest invasion into Russia since the Second World War.
Antonov told another Russian news agency he believed the US would soon lift any restrictions on the use of American-made weapons in the war.
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