Horrifying footage shows the moment two soldiers on Ukraine’s frontline engage in a savage knife fight to the death.
The graphic clip highlights the stark brutality of war, with the high-tech conflict characterised by the use of drones and hypersonic missiles descending into bloody hand-to-hand combat.
It ends with a poignant farewell as the mortally wounded Ukrainian soldier pleads: ‘I want to die myself. Thank you. You were the best fighter in the world.
‘Goodbye, you were better.’
The Russian soldier, named Tuta, backs off and parts with a ‘goodbye’ of his own.
The footage shows the pair initially exchanging gunfire in the ruins of bombed-out buildings.
After the Ukrainian fighter grabs the barrel of the Russian’s rifle, the two men get into a struggle which ends with them grappling on the floor.
The former can be heard angrily saying: ‘You came to [invade] my homeland.’
Realising his fate is sealed, he sends a last message through the camera on his helmet, saying: ‘That’s it, mum. Goodbye.’
He then asks his killer to ‘let me die in peace’, continuing: ‘You cut my whole body open. Let me catch my breath a little. It hurts a lot. Let me go quietly. Don’t touch me [any more], stop.
‘Let me die. Don’t touch me, let me die… Please go away.’
The Russian’s knife is clearly visible but he backs off, blood on his face.
The footage is reported to be from Trudove, in the Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine, probably filmed in autumn but only released now.
There have been calls from Russian war channels for Tuta to be decorated for his bravery.
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