SSO Fighters’ Body Cam Footage Captures Successful Kharkiv Raid

Fighters from the Special Operations Forces of Ukraine (SSO) posted a video account on Telegram giving details of a successful raid on Russian positions in the Kharkiv region, that resulted in the elimination of 11 Russian troops.

“Eleven Russian soldiers were killed on the road to Kharkiv, and three more were captured,” the report said.

The SSO released video footage from the fighters’ body cameras, capturing the raid from the perspective of one of those involved. The footage shows Special Ops scouts destroying a Russian unit at an observation post in a forested area. Kyiv Post was not able to independently verify the date and location of the video.

The footage shows the fighters approaching the enemy trenches unnoticed, creating an element of surprise that gave them a tactical advantage. SSO operators working in pairs, first use rocket propelled and hand grenades, supported by almost continuous covering small arms fire against the Russian’s defensive position.

Most of the enemy troops were eliminated by this overwhelming assault but three chose to surrender. The video shows on of the Ukrainian fighters ordering them to keep their hands raised if they want to live.

“In such situations, the most important thing for the enemy is to surrender, as this gives them a chance to survive and eventually return home, rather than becoming ‘Gruz 200’ (military code for killed),” the SSO report read.

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At the end of the video, short interviews were recorded with the captured Russian soldiers, who complained they had been left without provisions at the observation post and were expecting reinforcements, which were unlikely to arrive.

One of the prisoners of war (POW) said he belonged to a motorized rifle platoon but had a bad memory so claimed that though Russian forces were moving “toward Kharkiv,” he did not know the purpose.

Another revealed that no more than 30 soldiers were all that was left of the first and second battalions – a modern battalion strength is normally between 400 and 800 personnel. He said that he and his comrades had to walk almost six kilometers to pick up field rations, “which were not there anyway.”

The third Russian soldier added that they were waiting for reinforcements before surrendering to the SSO fighters. An SSO fighter responded, “Reinforcements in a few days? OK, then we'll wait.”

In his address to world leaders, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Russian troops are preparing an offensive 90 kilometers northwest of Kharkiv close to the Ukrainian border and went on to say, “Whoever does all this does not want peace.”

As early as May 10, the Russian military began an offensive in the northern part of the Kharkiv region. The most active battles are currently ongoing in Vovchansk and nearby settlements.

The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), Oleksandr Syrsky, reported that the Russian military had become “bogged down” in street fighting in Vovchansk. The General Staff also reported that the offensive of Russian troops in the northern Kharkiv region had come to a halt.