Putin in the Crosshairs as Russian ‘Turtle Tanks’ Blown Up in Series of Fiery Ukraine Ambushes

Dramatic footage has emerged of Ukrainian forces obliterating Russian "turtle tanks" in a series of intense confrontations, as President Zelensky's troops continue their deep invasion into Russian territory.

The recent footage captures Ukraine's 92nd Assault Brigade swiftly repelling a failed Russian armored assault on Lyptsy, in the Kharkiv Oblast, The Sun reported.

In a series of short clips, the heavily fortified tanks are seen being systematically destroyed with pinpoint precision. Within seconds, each tank is hit and set ablaze, leading to multiple explosions across the battlefield.

One particularly striking video shows Russian forces scrambling to escape from their box-like tanks as Ukrainian troops take aim. The tanks, which appear to be covered in cage-like structures resembling turtle shells, highlight the desperate measures Putin's military has resorted to after losing nearly all the tanks initially deployed in the invasion of Ukraine.

As the conflict grinds on past its grim two-year mark, Russian forces have increasingly relied on outdated vehicles from Cold War-era stockpiles.

This latest Ukrainian advance follows a successful ambush by Ukrainian special forces, who have been relentlessly pushing deeper into Russian territory.

First-person footage shows Ukrainian soldiers, clad in camouflaged bodysuits, storming through wooded areas in the war-torn Kursk region. Armed with grenades, guns and rockets, the soldiers rapidly engage Russian targets and vehicles, with huge explosions erupting in the fields.

Despite Russia's attempts to counter the Ukrainian offensive, Kyiv's forces have managed to seize more Russian land in just eight days than Putin's troops have captured in the past eight months. As of Tuesday evening, Ukraine claimed control of 74 settlements and 1,000 square kilometers of territory in the Kursk region — a figure that continues to rise, according to General Oleksander Syrsky.

In contrast, Russia has managed to capture only 994 square kilometers of land in Ukraine since the start of 2024, according to analysis by The Telegraph.

The US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) estimates that Putin controls an area of over 1,100 square miles around Donetsk. However, the Ukrainian military reports that Moscow has lost as many as 300,000 soldiers, with a significant number killed or seriously injured.

Never miss a story — sign up for the Front Page Detectives newsletter. Be on the scene the moment news breaks.

The fierce Ukrainian advance has reportedly resulted in the capture of up to 1,200 Russian soldiers, dealing a severe blow to Putin and boosting the morale of Zelensky's forces. This marks the first time a Russian leader has lost territory since World War II, leaving Putin struggling to halt the Ukrainian onslaught.

In response, Russian authorities have launched a significant counter-terror operation in the border regions of Kursk, Bryansk and Belgorod, deploying troops, trucks and tanks to combat the Ukrainian advance. Both sides continue to engage in devastating nightly aerial assaults, further escalating the conflict in the embattled region.