These images show Ukrainian soldiers evacuating a wounded soldier using a special dune buggy.
The footage shows the vehicle driving down a dirt track at speed before coming to a stop. The wounded soldier is then placed on the buggy before it takes off at speed again.
The images were obtained from the 14th Assault Brigade ‘Chervona Kalina’ of the National Guard of Ukraine on Friday, 29th September, along with a statement saying: “The life of a soldier of the ‘Chervona Kalina’ brigade was saved with the help of a special buggy.
“A fighter of the Chervona Kalina brigade was injured during the assault. Thanks to quick coordination with the combat medic unit, the evacuation is carried out in a specially converted buggy, a high-speed off-road vehicle. It was converted for the needs of the military.”
The statement quotes a combat medic from the Chervona Kalina brigade as saying: “Thanks to the technical features of the buggies, it is much easier for us to evacuate wounded guardsmen during hostilities. The car is very suitable for use in places where there are problems with the roads, to put it mildly.”
The statement also said: “The speed and manoeuvrability of the car helped to save the injured. He was promptly provided with the necessary assistance because the life of every Ukrainian soldier is priceless.”
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February 2022 in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 583rd day of the full-scale war.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February 2022 and 29th September 2023, Russia had lost about 277,660 personnel, 4,687 tanks, 8,972 armoured combat vehicles, 6,409 artillery units, 794 multiple launch rocket systems, 536 air defence systems, 315 warplanes, 316 helicopters, 4,991 drones, 1,529 cruise missiles, 20 warships, 1 submarine, 8,836 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 930 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.
Russia has said that it plans to increase its defence spending by nearly 70 per cent in 2024 in a bid to funnel huge resources into its war in Ukraine in what it claimed was a “hybrid war” unleashed by the West.
The announcement came as the Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, visited the Ukrainian capital Kyiv along with the Ministers of Defence of the United Kingdom and France, with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky asking for more air defence systems.
The visits come ahead of Kyiv’s first Defence Industries Forum, where representatives from more than 160 defence firms and 26 countries will be present.
The European Commission has warned European companies and governments that some components could be banned for export to Turkey and other countries being used by Iran and Russia to source parts for drones and other weapons used to attack Ukrainian cities.
Belarus claimed on Thursday that a Polish helicopter had violated its airspace twice amid rising tensions between both countries.
The European Union has extended Ukrainian refugees’ rights to stay in the block for another year, until March 2025.
The Ukrainian Air Force said on Thursday that its air defence systems, including fighter jets, had shot down 34 out of 44 drones launched by Russia overnight.
The Odesa region was the primary target, according to its governor, Oleh Kiper.
