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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Laura Sharman

Terrifying moment Russian bullet misses Ukrainian soldier’s head by an INCH

A Ukrainian soldier miraculously survived unscathed after a bullet whizzed just over his head during a shoot-out with Russian soldiers.

Astonishing footage shows the Ukrainian going to the window of a partially destroyed building and opening fire with his assault rifle.

Just second later, there is a puff of dust just above his head as the bullet hits the wall.

It would seem it hit no higher than an inch above his helmet during the close combat.

The soldier then moves away from the window and can be seen exchanging a few words with a surprised colleague.

Images were obtained by the 35th Separate Marine Infantry Brigade named after Rear Admiral Mykhailo Ostrogradskyi on Wednesday.

It came with a statement that read: "A Marine miraculously avoided being hit by a bullet during contact combat with the enemy.

The Ukrainian soldier was stood at an open window (Newsflash)
He retreated after avoiding the bullet (Newsflash)

"The Ukrainian defender was firing at the enemy and he returned fire in response. The camera recorded how one of the bullets flew over the marine's helmet.

"May fate continue to protect our brothers from enemy attacks."

The images and statement were also relayed by the Office of Strategic Communications of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, in what the Kremlin is still calling a "special military operation". Today marks the 413th day of the full-scale war.

A puff of smoke was seen above the soldier's head during the close combat between Ukrainian and Russian soldiers (Newsflash)

From the day of the invasion until April 12, 2023, Russia has lost around 180,050 personnel and 3,646 tanks, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

It also reports a loss of 7,043 armoured combat vehicles, 2,770 artillery units, 535 multiple launch rocket systems, 282 air defence systems, 307 warplanes, 293 helicopters, 2,334 drones, 911 cruise missiles, 18 warships, 5,630 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 319 units of special equipment.

An apartment building destroyed by the recent Russian shelling in Ukraine's war-hit Avdiivka, Donetsk region (AP)

Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.

Leaked US defence documents have reportedly revealed that American intelligence told Ukraine in February that it might fail to have enough troops and weapons for a planned spring counteroffensive and could fall “well short” of its goals to recapture territory seized by Russia.

The leaked US military documents also reportedly indicate that the UK has deployed up to 50 special forces operatives in Ukraine and that over half of the Western special forces personnel in the country in February and March this year may have been from the United Kingdom.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy holds a speech during his visit to Poland on April 5 (AP)

The documents also reportedly revealed that Egypt was allegedly planning to covertly supply Moscow with ammunition, with President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi telling senior Egyptian military officials to keep their production and shipments secret “to avoid problems with the West”.

Senior Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak has said that his country needs more long-range weapons and "less contemplation on leaks".

Ukrainian military spokesperson Serhii Cherevatyi has denied a claim by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of Russia’s private military organisation Wagner, that Russian forces now control over 80 per cent of the city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine.

Members of the TARGET Civil Formation patrol the streets during the night curfew ban in Lviv, Ukraine (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Cherevatyi said: "I can confidently state that the Ukrainian defence forces control a much larger percentage of the territory of Bakhmut."

The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, said on Tuesday that Russia’s detention of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich will "do even more damage to Russia’s standing around the world."

While Denmark’s acting Defence Minister, Troels Lund Poulsen, has said that a Danish decision on supplying Western fighter jets to Kyiv will likely take place "before the summer".

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