Watch: Ukraine wildfires engulf Russian trenches

Footage posted on social media shows wildfires in Ukraine engulfing Russian trenches, intensifying the challenges faced by both sides in the ongoing conflict.

In a video posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, flames are seen engulfing the Kherson region, with extensive damage being caused as flames swept through a heavily wooded area.

The Context

Kherson is a region in Southern Ukraine. It is located along the Black Sea and the Dnieper River. It is a strategically important region due to it’s agricultural industry and access to waterways.

The city of Kherson has been a focus point of the Russia Ukraine conflict. Russian forces have occupied Kherson since March of 2022, with Ukrainian forces conducting a counteroffensive operation to reclaim occupied territories.

The region is known to have a temperate continental climate with hot summers that make it suitable for agriculture. Kherson’s access to the Black Sea make it a strategically important place for military operations.

What We Know

In a video posted to X, a group of soldiers are seen on a vehicle, fleeing an area which is going up in flames.

In the background of the video, you can see fire and a thick haze of smoke coming from a thickly wooded area.

One of the soldiers is seen standing on the edge of a vehicle, beckoning. Two other soldiers then run toward the vehicle away from the blaze. The solider standing on the edge of the vehicle pulls up one soldier to safety and then does the same for another solider who is running toward the vehicle.

Throughout the vehicle you can see the fire blazing, engulfing trees. By the end of the video, the smoke has intensified, and you can no longer see flames, but an orange haze of smoke.

The video posted on X now has 107K views. It is accompanied with the caption “Kherson region Video of a ruzzian. Quote: “The island is burning, our soldiers are on it.”

In another video posted on X, Russian soldiers are seen running away from a densely wooded area as trees go up in flames.

Situation on the left bank of the Kherson region for Russian forces. They are literally being smoked out of their positions. pic.twitter.com/oZT6yBRiba

— NOELREPORTS 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@NOELreports) July 4, 2024

The post on X was captioned: “Situation of the left bank of the Kherson region for Russian forces. They are literally being smoked out of their positions.”

What’s Next

The wildfires may add a layer of complexity to the military operations in Ukraine, as forces on both sides will have to contend with the unpredictable and destructive nature of the wildfires.

The footage of wildfires engulfing trenches highlights the harsh and volatile conditions on the front lines.

This comes amidst news of Kyiv having made incremental advances in the northeast of Ukraine according to the Institute for the Study of War.

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