Ukrainian forces in southern Ukraine can be seen for the first time at one of Russia’s long-stretching «dragon’s teeth» defensive lines in a new video circulating on Russian social media.
CNN has geolocated the video to an area just east of the small villages of Nove and Kharkove in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia oblast.
The video was taken from a Russian military position and shows a Ukrainian military vehicle moving in a field, heading toward a ditch in front of a large row of «dragon’s teeth» — concrete and rebar pyramids that can serve as barriers against tanks. The apparent driver of the vehicle appears and begins running back toward a tree line.
What are the «dragon teeth» lines? For months, satellite images have shown that the Russians have installed the «dragon’s teeth» lines across the territory they control in Ukraine. The «teeth» are laid out in three-deep rows that stretch for hundreds of miles; on either side of the concrete lines, Russian forces have also dug massive anti-tank trenches.
When the vehicle hits the trench, a big puff of dirt and smoke is seen. A second later, the front end of the vehicle appears to be stuck, with its front end sitting on top of the trench.
It’s unclear what exactly is happening in the video. Pro-Ukrainian channels claim it’s their forces testing the ability for a vehicle to make it over the trench and the «dragon teeth,» while pro-Russian channels claim it’s a casualty of one of their military strikes.
What is clear, however, is the Ukrainian counteroffensive in southern part of the country has made notable gains in the last several days.
While the ability of the Ukrainians to push Russian forces back behind their «dragon teeth» line is a clear indicator, the counteroffensive has been successful so far.
The defensive line also poses a significant obstacle that the counteroffensive will need to find ways to overcome in the days, weeks, and months to come.