Combat footage reveals the reliability of a U.S. armored vehicle on the frontlines in Ukraine

The modern battlefield has been revealed unlike ever before because of technology and the role it now plays in conflicts. Recent footage published in June, and captured by a drone, not only revealed one harrowing encounter somewhere on the frontlines of Ukraine but also the quality of American-made military vehicles.

An overhead drone captured video footage showing an M1224 MaxxPro Mine-Resistant Ambush Vehicle withstanding several explosions while moving around the combat zone. But what was this daring MaxxPro's crew doing? 

Photo Credit: Screenshot Telegram @ButusovPlus

The MaxxPro appeared to resist at least three powerful explosions as it maneuvered its way through a dirt track surrounded by what appeared to be several damaged vehicles. 

Photo Credit: Screenshot Telegram @ButusovPlus

Bobbing and weaving its way through explosion after explosion, the MaxxPro crew was at the center of a dirt intersection when their vehicle looked as if it took a direct strike. 

Photo Credit: Screenshot Telegram @ButusovPlus

However, the explosion didn’t seem to damage the MaxxPro in a way that stopped it from moving forward. The vehicle and its crew then quickly escaped the dangerous and potentially deadly situation that was unfolding around them. 

Photo Credit: Screenshot Telegram @ButusovPlus

Ukrainian journalist Yuriy Butusov was one of the first sources who published the video, which he did on his Telegram channel where he provided some context for the situation. 

Photo Credit: Screenshot Telegram @ButusovPlus

The Ukrainian MaxxPro was under heavy Russian mortar and drone fire but was able to return from its combat mission after working its way through a well-targeted interaction. 

Photo Credit: Screenshot Telegram @ButusovPlus

Butusov explained that the scene took place close to the embattled Ukrainian village of Chasiv Yar, a settlement Russia has been trying to capture since the beginning of April.

Photo Credit: Screenshot Telegram @ButusovPlus

The MaxxPro was designed by Navistar Defense and the Israeli company Plasan Sasa, according to Business Insider—which noted that 200 were given to Ukraine by the U.S. 

Photo Credit: Wiki Commons By Grippenn, Own Work, CC BY-SA 3.0

The combat footage quickly began circulating social media and was reposted online by Nir Khan, Ex-Design Director for Plasan, who provided his thoughts on the MaxxPro.

Photo Credit: Screenshot Telegram @ButusovPlus

“I’m very proud of my involvement in the design of the Navistar MaxxPro MRAP,” Khan wrote in an X post along with the video. “It’s saved 1000s of lives, now in Ukraine too.”

Photo Credit: Screenshot Telegram @ButusovPlus

The MaxxPro is an armored vehicle designed to withstand improvised explosive attacks and ambushes as well as ballistic arms and mine fire according to Army Technology. 

Photo Credit: Army Staff Sgt. Teddy Wade, U.S. Department of Defense

There is also a variant of the vehicle that can survive in nuclear, biological, or chemical environments. But the MaxxPros given to the Ukrainians have been particularly helpful. 

One soldier who spoke with The Times about the effectiveness of the MaxxPro said that they were like “red flags” to Russians, who would target them with everything they had. 

Photo Credit: Screenshot Telegram @ButusovPlus

“But they are almost indestructible,” the soldier added, noting that in one difficult battle, a MaxxPro was struck by mortars but the crew survived. “They truly saved our soldiers.”

According to Business Insider, the MaxxPro has a seating capacity of twelve troops and has a single turret that sports a 7.62 or 12.7 mm machine gun operated by one gunner. 

Photo Crdit: Wiki Commons By Flickr, mallard10, CC BY 2.0

As of June 23rd, the open-source Dutch intelligence firm Oryx calculated that Ukraine has lost at least 95 MaxxPro MRAPs based on unique, verifiable photo and video evidence.  

Photo Credit: Screenshot Telegram @ButusovPlus

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