KYIV – Russian forces conducted an assault on Ukrainian defensive positions in the Zaporizhzhia region while flying both the Russian and American flags, an act that has drawn swift and strong condemnation from high-level officials in Ukraine. The incident, captured on video, is being decried by Kyiv as a flagrant violation of the customs of war and a brazen propaganda tactic.
The attack took place near the village of Mala Tokmachka, a heavily contested area on the southern front. The move is seen as an attempt to sow confusion on the battlefield and manipulate perceptions of the ongoing conflict.
Details of the Incident
According to a report by the Ukrainian defense news outlet Militarnyi, the assault occurred on August 12. Open-source intelligence analysts tracked the armored vehicle as it moved from the Russian-held settlement of Verbove towards Ukrainian positions in Mala Tokmachka.
The exact type of armored personnel carrier (APC) used in the attack remains a point of contention. Russian propaganda channels quickly claimed the vehicle was a U.S.-made M113, likely a captured vehicle. However, independent military observers have pointed out structural differences, suggesting it may have been a Russian BTR-MDM “Rakushka” amphibious APC, deliberately disguised.
Regardless of the vehicle's origin, the undeniable fact is that it advanced on Ukrainian lines under the cover of both the flag of the aggressor nation and that of the United States.
Official Condemnation from Kyiv
The video of the attack quickly garnered attention in the Ukrainian capital, prompting a sharp response from Andriy Yermak, the influential Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine. In a statement on his Telegram channel, Yermak condemned the act in the strongest terms.
“In fact, the Russians are using the symbols of the United States in their terrorist war of aggression, with the killing of civilians. This is the height of insolence,” Yermak wrote. He emphasized that the gesture was not merely a battlefield tactic but a deliberate attempt to manipulate the narrative of the war and "blur responsibility for Russia’s ongoing invasion."
Tactical and Propaganda Implications
The use of false flags or enemy symbols is a long-standing tactic in warfare, though it is widely condemned under international law, including the Geneva Conventions, as it constitutes perfidy. The primary goals of such an act are twofold:
Battlefield Confusion: Flying an ally's flag could momentarily cause hesitation among defending troops, creating a critical window of opportunity for the attackers.
Propaganda: The footage can be used to create disinformation. Russia could use it to falsely claim direct involvement of American troops in combat or to create convoluted narratives aimed at undermining Western support for Ukraine.
Ukrainian officials state that this incident is further evidence of Russia’s disregard for international norms and its reliance on information operations as a key component of its military strategy. The assault itself was part of Russia's ongoing efforts to break through heavily fortified Ukrainian lines in Zaporizhzhia, where fighting has remained intense for months.
