This is the astonishing moment a Daily Mail documentary team flees Russian forces after witnessing a Ukrainian missile launch.
New images of the Daily Mail’s Frontline YouTube series shows Ukrainian soldiers running around a vehicle and loading missiles into the launcher, before taking cover a few meters away and firing two missiles in quick succession.
Daily Mail reporters Richard Pendlebury and Jamie Wiseman reported live from the front line as they accompanied a special forces unit in defense of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast.
“The unit has now fired two stand-off missiles and I think they are about to fire a salvo, and then they, we, get out of here as quickly as possible,” Mr Pendlebury said as soldiers prepared the missile for launch . in the background.
Everyone flees from the launcher as a soldier shouts to the unit commander that the missiles were ready to go.
Shortly afterwards they can be seen firing at high speed towards a concentration of Russian troops and vehicles nearby, who were preparing to advance on the city.
‘The amount of dust picked up by the counter punch is amazing. It can be seen for miles. We can’t hang around; that would mean death,” Mr Pendlebury commented as soldiers hurriedly prepared the launch vehicle for departure.
But as everyone hastily retreated, Mr. Wiseman can be heard saying, “Where the fuck is my GoPro. For God’s sake,” after apparently losing the camera somewhere in the wooded area.
Footage shows Ukrainian soldiers running around a vehicle and loading missiles into the launcher, before taking cover a few meters away and firing two missiles in quick succession
Everyone flees from the launcher as a soldier shouts to the unit commander that the missiles were ready to go. Shortly afterwards, they can be seen firing at high speed towards a concentration of Russian troops and vehicles nearby as they prepared to advance on the city.
But as everyone hastily retreated, Mr. Wiseman can be heard saying, “Where the fuck is my GoPro. For God’s sake,” after apparently losing the camera somewhere in the wooded area
Mr. Wiseman finally said “there we are,” as he bent down to retrieve the camera from the ground, where it was hidden by tall grass
He then filmed the launch vehicle as it turned and sped away with the driver punching the air triumphantly
Mr Pendlebury estimated that the entire escape from the launch site could have taken only about two minutes. But the reporter also warned: ‘We are not out of the woods yet’
‘The escape begins. Our situation is not a cool retreat. It’s chaotic, almost panicky,” Mr Pendlebury said.
In the footage, Mr Pendlebury can be heard calling out to Oleks – their translator – and his colleague Mr Wiseman, who then marches through the frame looking for the GoPro camera.
Mr Wiseman finally said “there we are” as he bent down to retrieve the camera from the ground, where it was hidden by tall grass.
He then filmed the launch vehicle as it turned and drove away, the driver punching the air in triumph.
The tactic of trying to hit the opponent hard before escaping is called ‘shoot and scoot’.
Mr Wiseman then ran to the second car when someone urged: ‘Come on Jamie, get in the car!’ – ‘I’m coming, I’m coming,’ replied Mr. Wiseman.
Just after he jumped into the vehicle, it sped away, leaving behind a cloud of dust.
Mr Pendlebury estimated that the entire escape from the launch site could have taken only about two minutes. But the reporter also warned, “We’re not out of the woods yet.”