WARNING: CONTAINS DISTRESSING FOOTAGE
A man who was run over by a tank has revealed plans to join Ukraine's territorial defence as soon as he recovers.
Horrifying footage emerged soon after Russian President Vladimir Putin sent troops across the border into Ukraine on Thursday, February 24, of a civilian being crushed by a tank in the country's capital of Kyiv.
The tank was reported as having been looted by Russian troops.
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Since the clip was uploaded and shared widely across social media - sparking outrage against the Russian military - the 53-year-old man involved in the incident has given an update on his miraculous survival and what he plans on doing once allowed to leave hospital.
Reflecting on the incident from his hospital bed, the man detailed how the tank 'veered suddenly' into his lane and 'hit' him, as per Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty.
He said: "There were no other cars on the road. [The armoured vehicle] veered suddenly into my lane and hit me. Then it reversed. It's good that I was alone in the car.
"What if there were children inside? It's impossible to imagine what would have happened."
Thankfully passers-by came to the man's aid and 'started to bend the metal'.
However, the man reflected how his chest 'was pressed down by an airbag,' and that he was 'stuck hard,' because of the car being 'crushed inside'.
"My left foot was stuck. My left arm and foot are broken. They called an ambulance which took me to hospital," he explained.
Tearing up, the man concluded: "Guys, if you are watching this, thank you very much."
In the video, a nurse can be heard commenting how the man is now 'breathing like a healthy man'.
Indeed when he's feeling better, the man explained how he has plans to 'get out' of the hospital, 'learn to walk again' and 'join the territorial defence forces'.
He resolved: "Something needs to be done about this."
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Since Russia invaded Ukraine, Russian tanks have been spotted with symbols such as the letter 'Z' on them, leading experts to think that such markings could be a sign of which location the vehicle is headed to or what task force it is part of.
Ukrainian civilians have also been captured on camera apprehending tanks simply by walking towards them en masse.
If you would like to donate to the Red Cross Emergency Appeal, which will help provide food, medicines and basic medical supplies, shelter and water to those in Ukraine, click here for more information
Topics: Ukraine, Russia, Vladimir Putin
Poppy Bilderbeck