THIS is the moment a Russian troop on horseback is hit by a Ukrainian drone, as a desperate Putin resorts to sending the cavalry to the frontline.
The gruesome footage released by Kyiv’s armed forces gives an insight into the cruel and outdated tactics Putin is willing to employ in his desperate bid to defeat Zelensky.
In the video, two Russian soldiers can be seen racing across a field on horseback as a Ukrainian drone hunts them down.
The lead rider and his horse is wiped out by a drone strike while the second horse turns back and stumbles, throwing its rider to the ground.
The undated footage was shared by Ukraine’s 92nd Separate Air Assault Brigade which has been fighting in Kharkiv province.
It’s understood the riders were being used as a low-tech attempt to claim land in the contentious Donetsk region.
BEHIND ENEMY LINES
Inside Ukraine & Russia’s assassination ‘shadow war’
STAR WARS
Russia building ‘shrapnel cloud’ weapon to wipe out Musk’s satellites, Nato fears
The last known use of horses by the Soviet Union was back in 1955.
The unit claimed Russian troops were forced to use horses as they had lost so much equipment in their “meat grinder” assaults.
Russian troops have previously been shown training to attack on horseback, in an increasingly desperate attempt to defeat Zelensky’s band of fighters.
Troops operate in tiny groups to try and avoid drones.
These brave beasts will tackle the wretched conflict head-on, forming part of frontline operations in an effort to replenish Russia’s dwindling supply of military vehicles.
Riding two at a time, one soldier will hold the reins, while the other operates a machine gun.
Despite the use of this increasingly sophisticated technology, such as hypersonic missiles and sophisticated aircraft, horses are known to be more effective for some missions than any piece of military kit.
Talking to a Russian war reporter, assault troop commander, call sign Khan, said:
“When an assault trooper attacks and has to walk up to [10 miles]you are laden, you still have to storm the position, and then fall back,
“It’s very hard. I thought about it a lot, how to get round that moment and do it properly.
“That’s when the idea of using horses came to me.”
These farm animals turned military vehicles do not wear metal horseshoes which could potentially set off landmines.
The footage emerged as Russia’s embassy in Britain appeared to make a veiled threat of more wars.
The embassy shared a clip of President Putin’s end of year press conference, stating: “There will be no new special military operations if we are treated with respect.”
Mad Vlad has even resorted to cruelly using camels in his failing war.
Footage shows the seven foot, one-tonne Bactrian camel galloping through eastern Ukraine behind a white pick-up truck full of soldiers.
The camel was found and taken in by Ukraine after they stormed a Russian position in the war-torn region.
It had been wandering around aimlessly, according to reports.
As the huge double-humped animal makes its way down the road it passes a damaged M-113 armoured personnel carrier being worked on by more troops.
This is the second time a camel has been seen during the war in Ukraine after another was photographed being ridden by a Russian soldier in February.