Video Shows Man Desperately Running After Russian Armored Vehicle Being Towed Away by Ukrainian Tractor - Report
The Russian military likely never imagined the fierce resistance it would face as it brashly rolled into Ukraine one week ago. From the first moment of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s reckless invasion, however, the spirit and the resilience of the Ukrainian people have been on full display.
Although the bombs have been falling and the casualties are mounting, defiant citizens have demonstrated the willingness to fight for their freedom, even at the cost of their own lives.
In one of the lighter moments of the past week, British Member of Parliament Johnny Mercer posted a clip to Twitter that appears, according to the U.K. Telegraph, to show a tractor towing a Russian armored personnel carrier along an unnamed (presumably) Ukrainian road. A man is seen desperately chasing after the driver.
Mercer describes the amusing moment with the caption, “No expert, but the invasion doesn’t seem to be going particularly well.”
No expert, but the invasion doesn’t seem to be going particularly well.
Ukrainian tractor steals Russian APC today ? pic.twitter.com/exutLiJc5v
— Johnny Mercer (@JohnnyMercerUK) February 27, 2022
The video has not been independently confirmed, but as IB Times reported Tuesday, it has gone viral. As of Tuesday morning, it had been viewed more than 4.6 million times, with more than 110,000 “likes.”
If the video is authentic — and there are others like it circulating — the spirit of the Ukrainian resistance is not backing down in the face of the Russian invasion.
Below, a large group of residents are shown standing across a road in southeastern Ukraine. A Russian tank that was headed in the residents’ direction eventually turns around, possibly dissuaded by the civilians’ presence.
Residents from a town in Zaporizhzhia Oblast blocked the path of a Russian T-90A tank and forced it to turn around. https://t.co/acyoZRkjsx pic.twitter.com/rYxoDZ4XmM
— Rob Lee (@RALee85) February 27, 2022
According to the Telegraph report on the video Mercer posted, there have been unconfirmed reports of Russians “dumping fuel from tanks rather than face the Ukrainian forces” and others deserting.
In a separate article, The Telegraph reported signs that Russian men are trying to escape conscription into Putin’s military.
“In 2020, just 467 Russians were detained at America’s southern border. Last year, that number soared to 9,376 – a result of the Russian crackdown on dissent following widespread protests spearheaded by opposition leader Alexei Navalny, experts say.”
Moreover, these numbers are rising. In January, according to the report, “1,028 Russians and 248 Ukrainians” entered the U.S.
The Telegraph spoke to Ekaterina Mouratova, a Russian-American immigration lawyer based in Miami.
“We have never been so busy,” Mauratova told the newspaper. “But the number is going to skyrocket. I have got tons of emails in the last few days — hundreds. They are mostly men between 20 and 55 who are asking if they can get protection from the US if Russia does a mandatory military draft. These people do not want to go to war.
“Conditions in Russia are becoming harsher and harsher and there is a lot of political instability around the region. More and more people are looking for a way out,” Mouratova added.
Meanwhile, an article in the U.K. Mirror claims that “in response to Putin’s increased crackdown on the opposition,” the number of Russian men between the ages of 18 and 60 seeking political asylum at the U.S. southern border has risen sharply in the past few months.
These men would rather leave the country than be called upon to fight their neighbors.
This is most definitely Putin’s war.
Yes, it’s heartening to see the fierce resistance of the Ukrainian people. However, reports of a 40-mile long convoy of Russian tanks and military vehicles advancing toward the capital city of Kyiv suggest the odds are not in their favor.
But one thing is for sure. If Russia does take Ukraine, the occupation that follows will not be easy for them. The resistance Russian troops will face from the citizens under their control may never subside.
I’ve wondered several times over the last week, if Putin were given the opportunity to turn back the clock, would he still go ahead with the invasion?
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