Their giant engines, which include Soviet-era T-72s and a more advanced T-84, are protected from summer foliage on a luxurious base, with plump leaves blocking most of the light. However, this is not enough to reassure tank crews who fear the consequences of being spotted by a Russian drone. Each tank is lined with camouflage nets and twigs, making them virtually invisible to the human eye. We drove next to about six tanks on the road in the forest and did not find a single vehicle. Image: The unit has disguised tanks with foliage and camouflage nets Image: Andrii Koval inspects a tank I asked the unit commander, Lieutenant Vitalii Timoshuk, why they had done so much to disguise themselves. “If we do not have equipment, we have nothing to fight. What can I say? We keep our tanks safe because we do not have many of them.” We found the members of a tank crew working furiously on a T-84. It is a valuable kit, the most advanced tank in the army – although Ukraine has only six of them. Holding a large key, Andrii Koval told us it is powerful and fast – although sometimes difficult to start. “There are some questions, but in general, it is a good machine. It shoots well at distances of three to four kilometers and drives fast. That’s all we need.” Andrii and his colleague Vadim are in the third tank now. They lost the first two from heavy Russian fire. Picture: member of the Vadim tank unit A video of the blows to the first shows his turret smoking from afar. The crew was evacuated and Andrii and Vadim are pictured in the field. “A direct hit on our vehicle, the crew has been evacuated, observer, engineer … and me, who have been shot.” A Russian shell whistles over their heads. Fighters who use their phones to document the battle as they take part in it have become a feature of this war. Image: Commander Vitalii Timoshuk wearing a khaki shirt and having a hidden tank on his left shoulder When the commander of this secret tank base, Lieutenant Vitalii Timoshuk, told us how his unit repulsed a Russian attack last week, he also had the photos to illustrate it. Lieutenant Timoshuk is just 21 years old and officially graduated from his military academy on the day of our visit. But he says he gets a lot of help from his team. “Our people are experienced, they know why they came here, because of their families and our country. This will help us win.” “You are not so experienced, you are 21 years old and you run the unit,” I suggested. He replied: “I have no difficulty because my staff supports me. I am proud of them. And it is my pleasure to command and work with them. Our children are so cool.” “What did they think when you arrived, a 21-year-old leadership unit?” I asked. “I did not tell them I was 21 for a long time. I do not look 21. What else can I say?” Image: L to R: Andrii Koval, John Sparks of Sky News, Roman Batsenko The stolen Russian tank Lieutenant Timosuk told me that the Ukrainians had seized about 400 Russian armored vehicles, including five hijacked by his unit. I was introduced to the tank crew member Roman Batshenko, who stole two tanks under the enemy’s nose. “Our intelligence told us about them. One had fallen asleep. The other was working, so we went (to get them).” I asked him how he felt the moment he jumped into a Russian tank. “Fortunately, fortunately we renewed our tank stock. The only fear came later when we learned that there were two hundred Russian tanks just a mile away. But they did not expect us to be so brazen and steal them.” The Russian army is formidable and much better equipped, but there is plenty of spirit in the forest. The Russians can be defeated, says the unit commander, but they must be smart to overcome it.
