Battlefield showdown: combat footage shows Ukrainian armor attacking Russian troops in epic battle

In September 2024, a reconnaissance drone captured an epic battle between Ukrainian armored units and Russian soldiers who were held up in a group of buildings along a road close to the frontlines.

The proliferation of drones on the battlefields of Ukraine has produced near-daily combat clips of the fighting that's taking place. However, an exceptionally intense video was captured back in September. 

A Ukrainian tank and infantry fighting vehicle from the 14th Chervona Kalyna Brigade of the Ukrainian National Guard were captured assaulting and blowing up Russian defensive positions in a grouping of buildings. 

Photo Credit: Facebook @ChervonaKalynaBrigade

In the roughly two-and-a-half-minute video posted on Facebook, a drone captured the Ukrainian vehicles moving up a dirt road while targeting several buildings. 

Photo Credit: Facebook @ChervonaKalynaBrigade

While smoke from tank fire and dust kicked up by the vehicles make it hard to figure out what is happening, the 14th Chervona Kalyna Brigade’s press service edited in a few key markers showing where the Russian troops were hiding. 

Photo Credit: Facebook @ChervonaKalynaBrigade

Russian soldiers not only took up a position in the destroyed buildings to the left of the vehicles but also in the trees directly to the right of the tank and armored infantry fighting vehicle. 

Photo Credit: Facebook @ChervonaKalynaBrigade

A burst of gunfire in the treeline drew the attention of the infantry fighting vehicle, which fired off several rounds at the area where the Russian gunfire originated. However, it is unclear if this brief encounter resulted in any casualties. 

Photo Credit: Facebook @ChervonaKalynaBrigade

As the video continued, the Ukrainian tank, which took the lead in the attack, focused its fire on the left side of the dirt road while the infantry fighting vehicle took care of the right side where it appeared more Russians were hiding amongst the trees. 

Photo Credit: Facebook @ChervonaKalynaBrigade

The smoke and dust from the encounter then shroud most of the fighting, though a burst of gunfire from the right side of the road can be seen popping off at the vehicles as they push forward to an abrupt right-angle turn on the road.

Photo Credit: Facebook @ChervonaKalynaBrigade

The combat footage then switches to a different view of the fighting that faced the front of the Ukrainian vehicles. The tank engaged more Russian targets in what looked to be a house and scored a direct hit.

Photo Credit: Facebook @ChervonaKalynaBrigade

Militarnyi reported that Russian troops were using the abandoned buildings to get closer to Ukrainian forces in the area and added that war analyst Martin Tuitero noted on X the battle might have taken place outside the village of Ivanivka in Donetsk Oblast.  

Photo Credit: X @TuiteroMartin

Tuitero provided a map showing what could have been the likely route of the Ukrainian tank and infantry fighting vehicle, but this information has not been verified. 

Photo Credit: X @TuiteroMartin

“The footage shows Ukrainian armored vehicles driving down a village street during the day and firing their guns at the positions of the Russian soldiers. Thus, preventing the enemy from gaining a foothold there,” Militarnyi reported. 

Photo Credit: Facebook @ChervonaKalynaBrigade

Militarnyi also reported that the 14th Chervona Kalyna Brigade’s press service noted the brigade was fighting on one of the hottest parts of the frontline in Ukraine, the Pokrovsk sector, where Russia has been making a lot of progress and launching several attacks. 

Photo Credit: Facebook @ChervonaKalynaBrigade

On the morning of September 4th, the Ukrainian General Staff reported in its daily war update that there were 61 Russian attacks repelled in the Pokrovsk sector over the prior day as Russia tried to make progress along several areas of the embattled frontline. 

Russian forces are “trying to advance near Zelene Pole, Vozdvyzhenka, Myroliubivka, Novotroitske, and Selidove,” Militaryni reported at the time before adding the Kremlin’s “main efforts are being made in the areas of Novohrodivka, Hrodivka, and Mykhailivka.”

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Photo Credit: X @TuiteroMartin