A frightening moment caught on video showed the threat Ukrainian civilians faced as Russian troops descended on the country. Multiple videos filmed by residents of the Obolon district in Kyiv emerged, displaying an incident in which a military vehicle ran over and crushed a car driven by an elderly man.

In the video, a Russian military tank can be seen rushing down an empty road, diverging into the adjacent lane onto an oncoming car. The tank drives over the four-door sedan and wrecks it before driving away. The incident left the onlookers in disbelief and panic.

How neighbors managed to help the elderly man trapped in the crushed car

In a separate video, a group of men tries to free the man from the crushed car. Rescuers used a crowbar and an ax while also applying effort to assist the man out of the wrecked sedan. They ripped off the vehicle’s roof and pulled down its hood and windows before dragging the driver out. While it is difficult to determine his condition from the video, the driver bears no visible injury, although the incident shook him up.

According to People, the terrifying video has been verified by Sky News. The video is just one of the visuals showing the total frightening moments of the Russian military invasion of Ukraine and a vivid reminder of the cost of war on civilians and the auto industry.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its effects on the auto industry

The anticipation of a full-scale Russian military invasion of Ukraine became a reality in the early morning hours of Feb. 24. The conflict between these two neighboring states began in late 2021 and intensified earlier this year. According to U.S. News, Russia deployed 190 000 troops on Ukraine’s border over many months.

Before the invasion, President Putin declared Russian-backed breakaway areas of Donetsk and Luhansk, both situated in the conflicted Donbas region, as independent people’s republics and directed peacekeeping troops in those regions. The Russian-Ukrainian war is still evolving, with reports showing massive explosions and airstrikes with threats scaling up against the capital, Kyiv, a city with more than 3 million residents.

CNBC reports that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could lower global production in the auto industry by millions of units this year as Russian companies suspend operations amid a myriad of sanctions targeting the country, particularly the automotive industry.

The war has already led to new supply problems for parts like wire harnesses, which serve as a car’s wiring system. Moreover, the war is likely to exacerbate the existing shortage in the supply of essential components such as semiconductor chips, whose raw materials originate from Ukraine and Russia.

Furthermore, the crisis could adversely impact car prices, resulting in inflation, which would propel already record-high vehicle prices even higher. The European auto market will feel the impact more quickly than the US and other markets. Automakers like Audi and Mercedes-Benz have considered cutting their production output because they cannot source parts from Ukraine, particularly wire harnesses.

Russia’s automotive industry risks long-term adverse effects as sanctions grow and organizations suspend operations.

Vehicles that are typically used in military operations

Vehicles such as tanks and armored cars are designed for military purposes. Armored vehicles are specially fitted with partial armor plating for protection against bullets and other projectiles.

The tank is the principal invasion armored car. Types such as the Armata, T-90A, T-80U tanks, and the M1A2 are armed with huge caliber main guns, tank destroyers, and assault guns. There is also the Stryker Infantry Carrier Vehicle (ICV), which was first developed in 2003. It weighs 18 tons, has a two-person crew capable of transporting foot soldiers, and is armed with an M2 50-inch heavy machinery.

The U.S. army has equipped more than half a dozen troops with Stryker ICVs, which have proven effective in the Iraq and Afghanistan battles.