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

A Taste of Russia
November 01, 2012

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.

Murder and the Muse
December 12, 2016

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.

Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

White Magic
June 01, 2021

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.

At the Circus
January 01, 2013

At the Circus

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

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...

Life Stories
September 01, 2009

Life Stories

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.

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