Miracle rescue after 'Russian tank' swerved to crush civilian car driver in Kyiv

25 February 2022, 10:39 | Updated: 25 February 2022, 12:46

Footage shows people working to extract man from ruined car after a tank deliberately ran him over

This is the moment a civilian is miraculously plucked from his car alive after it was crushed by a tank driver on the streets of Kyiv.

Video footage emerged which is said to show a Russian strela tank swerving to run over the car which was travelling in the opposite direction on a road in the Obolon district of the city.

The clip, filmed from a distance, makes it impossible to make out the exact vehicle but it clearly shows the military hardware swerving quickly towards the black civilian car, running over it and leaving it completely flattened.

It is unclear who was controlling the armoured vehicle, but there are claims the vehicle was in fact a Ukrainian piece of hardware which had been hijacked by Russian troops.

Miraculously, the car's sole occupant, an elderly man - was plucked from the wreckage apparently unscathed after a group of people rushed to his rescue.

A senior adviser to Belarusian human rights activist and democratic politician Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya posted the video footage online, writing: "In Ukraine, a Russian tank had driven over the civilian car. Terrifying footage. My thoughts are with the people of Ukraine."

Minutes later, the adviser, Franak Viacorka, posted further pictures showing the dazed victim sitting in the remains of the crushed car, apparently with only minor injuries.

"A Ukrainian senior man in a car hit by the Russian tank survived!" he posted.

A group of Ukrainian civilians can be seen rushing to his rescue in further footage, bending and breaking apart the remains of the crushed car to free the elderly occupant.

"The invaders ran over a civilian car with military equipment in Obolon. There was a man inside," a social media post states.

"The man whose car was rammed and crushed by alleged Russian strela has been rescued," a further post on Twitter said.

There were accusations levelled that the video showed Russian troops committing a war crime.

The footage emerged after fierce fighting with Russian troops descending on parts of Ukraine's capital Kiev.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has demanded tougher sanctions and support fending off the Russian invasion as Kyiv was hit by air strikes.

Mr Zelensky also called for allies to provide "effective counteraction" against Moscow's advances after holding talks with Boris Johnson on Friday morning.

Downing Street said the Prime Minister pledged further support "in the coming days" after the president updated him on the "terrible developments" in the Ukrainian capital.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said more than 450 Russian troops had been killed, as a fierce resistance meant Moscow "failed" on the main objective on the first day of fighting.

Mr Johnson and Mr Zelensky spoke after Kyiv was hit by "horrific rocket strikes" and fighting reached the outskirts of the capital overnight.

After the call, the president said Ukraine "needs the support of partners more than ever".

"We demand effective counteraction to the Russian Federation. Sanctions must be further strengthened," Mr Zelensky added.