Moment lone Ukrainian tank ambushes entire Russian convoy near Kyiv

6 April 2022, 22:09 | Updated: 7 April 2022, 08:20

Drone footage has emerged of the moment a lone Ukrainian tank appeared to destroy several Russian vehicles heading in a convoy towards Kyiv.

The Ukrainian tank, believed to be a T-64, can be seen firing several rounds at one of Vladimir Putin's convoys in Nova Basan, around 60 miles west of the capital city.

One of the Russian vehicles was engulfed by flames after it was struck, leading to other vehicles firing back at the Ukrainian forces.

The video of the "chaotic" Russian retreat was published by a Ukrainian volunteer unit on Telegram with the heavily compounded soldiers forced to draw back.

The Russians fired back at the vastly outgunned Ukrainian unit, but appeared to be unclear of where to aim, striking fields surrounding the roads.

The Ukrainian attacker was strategically positioned out of sight just off the main road and avoided multiple lines of fire into the tree line.

All of the bullets missed the attacker, who continued to open fire on the convoy, with scores of Russian soldiers on foot seen running for cover.

Read more: Harrowing drone footage captures smouldering remains of city of Kharkiv

Read more: Putin's daughters sanctioned in response to Bucha 'massacre'

Other Ukrainian tanks may well have been involved in a co-ordinated attack but were not visible in the drone video. Videos filmed from the ground in the aftermath show more burnt-out Russian vehicles.

Ukrainian forces still have control of its capital city Kyiv, which has seen relentless attacks from Putin's soldiers since the war broke out last month.

The Ukrainian authorities have said that more than 400 bodies of civilians have been discovered in towns round Kyiv which have been captured from the Russians.

Read more: British security guard at Berlin embassy charged with spying for Russia

One Western official said the comments in the Russian media calling for the "de-nazification" of Ukraine and comparing the country to the Third Reich had created a "toxic information environment".

"This is a phenomenon which we believe to be widespread," the official said. "That sort of environment and climate, I'm afraid, absolutely contributes to this sort of thing.

"When you combine that with a force which is failing and failing badly in an operation for which it was perhaps psychologically underprepared, it just a toxic mix.

"The responsibility for this lies with the perpetrators of the acts but it also lies with the Russian leadership. Not only did they order the invasion, they set the tone and the context for this operation as well."

Drone footage captures smouldering remains of Kharkiv

Meanwhile, fresh drone footage has captured the devastation in Kharkiv, in northeastern Ukraine, which has been under near-constant shelling since the war began.

In the video, obtained by LBC, a sea of charred buildings remain, some with flames still flickering through the burnt-out windows.

The city was once home to nearly 1.5 million people - a quarter of which reportedly have Russian relatives - but now it is a ghost town and still "contested" by Russia, according to the latest military assessment from the UK Ministry of Defence.