Vladimir Putin is struggling to regain control of his country’s own territory, as Ukraine continues to advance into Russia.
Earlier today, shocking footage emerged of a Russian Ka-52 attack helicopter obliterating a military column in Kursk with guided missile fire.
At first, multiple Russian military bloggers shared the footage on social media, boasting of a Russian victory against the Ukranian incursion.
However, the convoy later turned out to be a pair of Russian armoured vehicles. Ukrainian 225th Brigade later filmed the aftermath of the attack, with smoke still billowing into the air. The Ukranian forces finished off the vehicles with drone-dropped grenades.
An independent Russian Telegram channel also reported that the helicopter hit a total of four armored vehicles, after mistaking the column as belonging to the Ukrainian forces.
It is not the only friendly fire incident to take place since Kyiv’s surprise incursion into the Russian border region of Kursk last week.
In another incident, a Russian attack helicopter destroyed a self-propelled howitzer gun.
Ukraine‘s invasion continues to deal devastating blows to Vladimir Putin‘s forces.
On Wednesday, Ukraine captured 102 Russian servicemen in the Kursk region in a single operation.
Ukraine‘s Security Service later confirmed that it was the “largest capture of the enemy that we have managed to carry out at one time.”
Meanwhile, Russia has been forced to evacuate at least 200,000 people so far in the region.
As the Kremlin tries to wrestle back control of its own territory, Russia has also been forced to withdraw some of its troops from the frontline in Ukraine to protect the Kursk region.
Within a week, Ukraine has managed to capture almost as much Russian land in Kursk as Russian forces took in Ukraine in the last seven months.
Ukraine has said it controls around 1,000 sq km (386 sq miles) of Russia and 74 towns and villages.
President Putin has sought to downplay the incursion, calling it a “large-scale provocation” instead of an invasion.