A first-person video set shot in southern Ukraine shows a gunner mounted atop an armored Humvee, furiously firing a .50-caliber M2 Browning machine gun and peppering nearby buildings with rounds about the size of cigars. The vehicle then stops and the gunner points his barrel at the visible muzzle flashes, squeezing the last rounds from the ammunition belt. “Ammunition! Ammunition!” he screams in English, struggling with the feed tray cover he has to lift before loading another belt. The gunman, who appears to have a North American accent, wears Ukrainian military patches and a yellow armband, suggesting he is part of the Western volunteer effort. The video highlights the extent of US support for Ukraine, which consists of billions of dollars in weapons and equipment that, in many ways, have allowed the depleted, outgunned Ukrainian military to keep up with and in some cases outmatch the more heavily armed Russians. Army. It also reveals the reality of combat: heavy artillery fire fired from miles away can hit an enemy, but to regain ground, ground forces must find and kill opponents at close range. Wounded Ukrainian soldiers reveal stark account of Kherson attack The Post used geolocation to verify the battle was filmed in Ternovi Pody, a village midway between Mykolaiv and Kherson, the strategic cities at the heart of Ukraine’s offensive to retake territory in the south. It is unclear when the fight took place, but wounded Ukrainian troops recently described a harrowing battle in the area, where the artillery needed to drive out Russian troops was in short supply. The Russian Defense Ministry reported fighting in the area, where Ukrainian forces are trying to break through front lines and push toward Kherson, and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in Prague on Friday that the Pentagon had noted some “success” in Kherson and Kharkiv North. “This is very, very encouraging,” he added. Hundreds of Americans and Europeans — some with prior military experience, some not — have joined the war on the Ukrainian side. At least half a dozen US citizens believed to have been killed in the fighting while two others, both veterans, were captured and remain in the custody of Russian proxies. A third went missing in April and his condition remains unknown. Family of Americans missing in Ukraine says US response inadequate As the video continues, the gunner grabs a tool to pry open the feed tray cover. Instead of more rounds, though, another soldier inside the Humvee runs over an AT-4, a point-and-shoot anti-tank missile. He fires this weapon at a target so close to launch and impact is almost simultaneous. As small arms fire zips overhead and hits the dirt around the Humvee, the gunner pleads for new shots as he prepares to fire another AT-4 delivered to him from inside the vehicle. “Fifty cal ammunition!” he shouts. “We’re taking shots!” Weapons such as the AT-4 anti-tank launcher are intended for close combat with a maximum effective range of about 300 meters for cartridges fired from a disposable tube. The United States has provided thousands of such rounds to Ukraine along with armored Humvees. Footage shared on social media on September 8 shows a Ukrainian attack on a village in the country’s southern Mykolaiv region. (Video: Twitter) As the videos suggest, this operation was particularly daring, with movement over flat, open terrain in thin-skinned vehicles not designed to withstand heavy anti-armor weapons. The Humvee parks in one spot and becomes a constant target for would-be attackers. The glass inside the vehicle appears to be blown but intact. The video also reflects the candid moments in battle that rarely make it into war movies. The gunner, obviously experienced in handling a machine gun, struggles at times to exercise his fine motor skills through the thin black gloves he wears to protect his hands from heat and cuts. The brass slips through his fingers in an attempt to refill before he gets it right and, seconds later, pushes the cap back onto the feed tray. Although only a few moments, to those inside the vehicle it probably felt like an eternity with Russian forces nearby. The gunner squeezes the butterfly trigger for another flurry of shots before jamming again, forcing him to start the process over. This time, he’s more deliberate about a technique taught to soldiers, keeping the beginning of the belt firmly on the left side of the weapon before slamming the cover down. Another video from what appears to be the same operation shows that the soldiers are not too worried about the possibility that Russian forces will fire back with anti-armor weapons. Such munitions would easily destroy Humvees. But as the video shows, a swarm of Ukrainian vehicles stream towards a group of buildings under fire as dismounted troops move towards them. There are no glimpses of the enemy. Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War said the footage showed Ternovi Pody had been recaptured from Ukraine. Dan Lamothe contributed to this report.
War in Ukraine: What you need to know
The last: Grain shipments from Ukraine are being accelerated under the agreement reached by Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the United Nations in July. Russia’s blockade of Ukraine’s Black Sea ports had sent food prices skyrocketing and raised fears of more famine in the Middle East and Africa. At least 18 ships, including cargoes of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, have departed. The battle: The conflict on the ground continues as Russia uses its heavy artillery advantage to pound Ukrainian forces, which have at times managed to put up stiff resistance. In the south, Ukraine’s hopes rest on the liberation of the Russian-held Kherson region, and eventually Crimea, which Russia seized in 2014. Fears of disaster at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant remain as both sides accuse each other of bombing it. . The weapons: Western arms supplies are helping Ukraine slow Russian advances. US-supplied High Mobility Artillery Missile Systems (HIMARS) allow Ukrainian forces to strike further behind Russian lines against Russian artillery. Russia has used a range of weapons against Ukraine, some of which have drawn the attention and concern of analysts. Photos: Washington Post photographers have been on the ground since the start of the war — here are some of their strongest works. How you can help: Here are ways those in the US can help support the Ukrainian people as well as the donations people have made around the world. Read his full coverage Russia-Ukraine crisis. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for updates and exclusive video.
