Helmet cam footage recorded by Ukrainian troops in the vicinity of Vovchansk, Kharkiv shows an attempt to stop a Russian advance on the newly opened front.

The bunching and disorganization among the defenders suggests these men haven't seen a lot of recent combat.

The most striking thing to note is how minimal the defenses are here when they have had two years to prepare. Trenches are narrow and shallow. Bunkers are weak and held up by deteriorated sand bags.

Recent reports indicate that the Kharkiv Military Council dumped $9 million - $115 million USD into fake shell companies that won contracts to build fortification in the region. The money disappeared. The defenses were never built, and now Russia is making easy gains.

About the Author

Will Killmore

Will Killmore is a US Army combat infantry veteran and Purple Heart recipient. He has deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan with the 172nd Stryker Brigade and 173rd Airborne Brigade. Following his time in service, he successfully pursued a certificate of journalism and has been a blogger for Funker530 since 2014. Follow Will’s bad takes on Twitter