A Ukrainian armoured vehicle attempted to ram through a Russian border checkpoint alone before coming under heavy fire.
Video appears to show the Kozak-2 vehicle heading at full speed towards the Kolotilovka checkpoint, which separates Ukraine from Russia’s Belgorod region.
Russian military bloggers called it a “suicide mission” after the combat vehicle – clearly marked with Ukraine’s white triangle, a symbol of its invasion of Russia – quickly became trapped by a barricade on the road.
The footage shows the vehicle crashing near the centre of the checkpoint and coming under fire. It was reportedly hit by a Russian FPV drone and a precision-guided Krasnopol shell.
It is not clear what happened to the seven soldiers seen scrambling out of the vehicle before it was hit.
“Barely alive after such a blow, the paratroopers still managed to unload at the entrance to the checkpoint,” reported one Russian Telegram account, which claimed that they were then “eliminated”.
Belgorod has come under bombardment in recent days as Ukraine’s incursion, which began in the neighbouring Kursk region, enters its 10th day. The offensive has so far forced the evacuation of more than 200,000 from the border zone.
A state of emergency was declared in Belgorod on Thursday, with officials citing a “complex and tense” situation.
Russia’s army said it was preparing “concrete actions”, including “the allocation of additional forces”, to defend Belgorod from further Ukrainian attacks.
Kyiv claims to have seized over 1,150 square kilometres of Russian territory in Kursk. Moscow claims its forces have stemmed Ukraine’s advances, while conceding that small groups continue to probe its border defences.