Shocking images released this week by Ukrainian special operations forces show their troops storming a Russian trench and engaging in deadly hand-to-hand combat with soldiers from Moscow.
The assault appears to have surprised the Russians, leaving several dead as the Ukrainians forced their way through the maze of dirt. In stark contrast to the reactions of the Russian soldiers, the Kyiv forces appear to have executed the mission flawlessly, doing “everything right,” according to a former US Army infantryman.
“What the Ukrainians did is unique in their level of competence,” John Spencer, a professor of urban warfare studies at West Point’s Institute of Modern Warfare, said after viewing the video. “They do everything right, which is not always the case in war, even if you are highly trained.”
On Wednesday, Ukrainian special operations forces shared the graphic video on various social media channels. The army said its forces approached the enemy positions from the rear and killed 10 Russian soldiers.
Sharing the video on Twitter, Spencer wrote, “I know a lot of people have already commented on this video of Ukrainian special forces fighting a hand-to-hand battle in a Russian trench. It is noted that they are highly trained, have good handling of weapons, use grenades. Intense. Lots of adrenaline, but not chaotic. Well done, Zulu.”
It was not immediately clear where this particular mission took place. Ukraine recently launched a major counter-offensive along the front lines in the country’s east and south, which has seen Kyiv commit advanced and heavy Western armor such as tanks and infantry fighting vehicles along with other ground forces.
Russian soldiers ‘never notice.’
The footage, captured by a camera carried by an operator, begins by showing two Ukrainians preparing in the trench before rushing in and around a corner while firing several rounds into a dark passageway. The Ukrainian with the camera continues firing into another corner, at which point a Russian soldier runs around the curve and directly into the line of fire before collapsing.
Two other Russian soldiers run down one of the corridors, and the Ukrainian shoots several more times, knocking them out. The crumpled bodies of the Russian soldiers are blurred in the video. Heavy breathing is heard through the camera’s microphone.
Spencer stated that he was “significantly impressed” by the skill and professionalism displayed by the Ukrainian service member filming. They use the corners of the trench for cover and hold their rifle smartly for close combat, control their adrenaline and avoid rushing in and spraying bullets.
The Russian forces, for their part, are caught off guard. While the Ukrainians maintain cover and concealed positions, the Moscow troops “never notice and keep running head-on into the Ukrainian version of the Navy SEALs sitting in their trenches,” Spencer said.
Later in the video, a Ukrainian is seen throwing a grenade at Russian positions, followed by the sound of a rapid bang. In a later scene, the soldier throws a second grenade as bursts of gunfire can be heard in the background.
With the surprise factor in favor of the Ukrainians, the Russians “never realize where the Ukrainians are,” Spencer says. “Those explosions only add to the chaos on the Russian side,” as “they are being overwhelmed and attacked.”
The footage shows a soldier making his way into the trenches before taking refuge in a small bunker as gunshots echo in the background. Soon after, a Russian soldier can be seen slowly crawling down the passageway before the hidden Ukrainian opens fire from the bunker. The soldier steps over the fallen Russian and slips through the trenches.
It will not be the last time.
Trench warfare is not a new aspect of Russia’s war in Ukraine and has been a brutal feature of the 16-month-long conflict, often drawing comparisons to the grueling combat of World War I. Dramatic videos have previously shown Ukrainian soldiers storming and fighting in Russian trenches, but the recent video released by Ukrainian special operations forces seemed to invoke a particular sense of shock and intrigue from online viewers.
War gets intimate, Spencer said, but it’s rare to see a video describing such a level of “intense closeness” and “extreme risk.”
The difference between life and death is measured in seconds, he said, adding that this mission ultimately came down to which soldiers were best trained, while other engagements could be the result of position or weapons at hand.
This type of fighting is expected to continue. In preparation for the long-awaited Ukrainian counteroffensive, Russia spent the spring months building defensive positions near the front lines and deep within the Ukrainian territory it currently controls. In addition to trenches, these fortifications also include anti-tank ditches, minefields, and “dragon’s teeth,” concrete spikes designed to stop heavy armor such as tanks or vehicles.
And even with weapons like tanks, drones and artillery in Ukraine’s arsenal, the country will have to rely on its infantry to take the necessary risks of assault and trench clearing, Spencer said.
“It will not be the last time we see this type of video, in which the Russians are left to die in their trenches,” he predicted. “When push comes to shove, you still have to send another human into a dark room or dark trench to kill the enemy waiting in his position.”
Clearing trenches is something the Ukrainian military is probably rehearsing as a battle exercise so soldiers are able to do it without a second thought, Spencer said. The photos and videos of the last training sessions seem to indicate that it is a priority. kyiv’s troops will continue to find themselves in situations similar to those of special operations forces, but future missions may have different results.
“This time the Ukrainians have done very well, but there is no bloodless war,” he said. “We are going to see heavy casualties on both sides in the coming weeks.”
jake epstein
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