Russian troops from viral video explain why they hoisted US flag

The soldiers operated an American-supplied M113 vehicle captured from Ukrainian forces

A Russian crew who went viral earlier this month after flying a US flag from an armored vehicle have said they carried out the stunt specifically to rile Ukrainian forces.

The footage, which was filmed near the frontline village of Malaya Tokmachka in Russia’s Zaporozhye Region, showed the soldiers driving the US-supplied M113 vehicle decorated with Russian and American flags after it had been abandoned by Ukrainian troops.

On Sunday, RT Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan shared a close-up video of the trophy APC. The crew explained that the display was intended to “irritate” the enemy.

“It’s a good APC. Ours are better, of course, but this one will do,” one soldier said.

The stunt drew outrage in Kiev. Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky’s chief of staff, Andrey Yermak, denounced it as “maximum arrogance.”

Some Ukrainian commentators claimed the video was fabricated, or that the vehicle was actually Soviet-made, while others insisted the Russian crew had already been eliminated.

French broadcaster TF1 alleged the footage was manipulated with AI, while Canada-based NATO-linked nonprofit DisinfoWatch argued it had been “staged.”

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