In a recent viral video, it was claimed that a Russian Lancet drone had successfully destroyed a Ukrainian tank.
However, Ukrainian forces have revealed that the tank in the video was actually a cleverly crafted wooden decoy, designed to deceive Russia.
Lieutenant Commander Oleksandr Afanasyev informed Insider that the so-called “tank” was made using empty boxes from 155 mm shells.
The video, which showcases the destruction from the drone strike, was filmed in a rural area and offers perspectives from both a surveillance drone and a strike drone.
The video was posted on the Telegram channel Kremlin Pachka, and it quickly gained attention on Russian social media. Prominent Russian TV propagandist Vladimir Solovyov even shared the video with his 1.3 million followers. However, the Ukrainian Lieutenant Commander revealed the truth behind the footage.
Afanasyev, who serves in the 2nd Armored Group of the 54th Brigade near Lyman, celebrated the successful trickery in a video of his own.
He displayed an image of the wooden decoy tank and expressed his disbelief and laughter at the fact that the Russians fell for it.
Contrary to what the video suggests, the “tank” seen burning was actually a pile of burning wood, with no trace of metal.
Afanasyev explained that he and his troops had replaced real tanks with the decoy around a month ago, following damage to one of their tanks from a Russian air strike.
He noted that Russian forces had been conducting reconnaissance in the area, prompting the installation of the decoy.
Afanasyev provided further evidence to support his claim, comparing stills from both his video and the Russian video.
The images displayed the same damaged rooftop and strike location, confirming that they were depicting the same area.
Expressing his confusion, Afanasyev questioned why the Russian video gained so much traction on social media, as it clearly showed that the tank was not real.
He criticized Solovyov, referring to him as a “scoundrel” who spreads misleading information to deceive people.
In the end, Afanasyev concluded
“They fool their own people”