June 12, 2023

Shooting up Deeres


Shooting up Deeres

On June 6, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that Russian forces were repelling Ukraine's counteroffensive and that Russia had destroyed 28 tanks, including eight German Leopards and three French AMX-10 wheeled tanks.

Shoigu provided no proof of his assertions, yet shortly afterward the military circulated a short video with footage that it claimed showed "the destruction of foreign armored vehicles, including Leopard tanks."

But then Russian pro-war bloggers quickly cast doubt on the video.

The telegram channel “Military Informant,” after analyzing the silhouettes of the vehicles, said that, in reality, the video showed the destruction of US-made John Deer combine harvesters of the 9000 and 700 series, as well as a John Deer tractor-sprayer 4830.

“We don’t know why it was necessary to release clips showing the erroneous defeat of agricultural equipment for an actual video showing the defeat of Leopards,” the authors wrote.

The pro-war Telegram channel Rybar came to the same conclusion. “If you zoom in on the frame, then in the contours of the object you can see something similar to agricultural machinery. Wheels stand out in the outlines, and the 'trunk' resembles an auger. And the helicopter crew itself does not call the target a Leopard.”

The “destruction of the Leopards” also drew a strange comment from the notorious head of the Wagner PMC, Yevgeny Prigozhin. “The shots clearly show how the Leopard tanks move in a strange tactical maneuver towards each other. These tanks are disguised as agricultural harvesters. Their muzzle is bent down. However, this did not prevent our [guys] from seeing enemy equipment in them.”

You Might Also Like

We Have Land Enough

We Have Land Enough

How the situation in Russia looks from a village in the very remote and very Far East.
Resistance is Fertile
  • January 25, 2023

Resistance is Fertile

As Russia continues its criminal war on Ukraine, so too do some inside Russia refuse to be silenced. Against the odds, they resist.
Index of War
  • January 28, 2023

Index of War

Fact and figures related to Russia's War on Ukraine.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Fearful Majesty

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.
A Taste of Chekhov

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.
The Moscow Eccentric

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.
Woe From Wit (bilingual)

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.
Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

In this comprehensive, quixotic and addictive book, Edwin Trommelen explores all facets of the Russian obsession with vodka. Peering chiefly through the lenses of history and literature, Trommelen offers up an appropriately complex, rich and bittersweet portrait, based on great respect for Russian culture.
The Little Golden Calf

The Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.
Okudzhava Bilingual

Okudzhava Bilingual

Poems, songs and autobiographical sketches by Bulat Okudzhava, the king of the Russian bards. 
A Taste of Russia

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.
Driving Down Russia's Spine

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 
The Latchkey Murders

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...
93 Untranslatable Russian Words

93 Untranslatable Russian Words

Every language has concepts, ideas, words and idioms that are nearly impossible to translate into another language. This book looks at nearly 100 such Russian words and offers paths to their understanding and translation by way of examples from literature and everyday life. Difficult to translate words and concepts are introduced with dictionary definitions, then elucidated with citations from literature, speech and prose, helping the student of Russian comprehend the word/concept in context.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955