How The Humble Tractor Has Become 'A Symbol Of Resistance Against Russia'

As the world unites behind the Ukrainian resistance against Russia, powerful symbols of their fight have arisen.

Similar to the Ghost of Kyiv, and the soldiers on Snake Island, the humble tractor has also become a representation of the underdog fight that Ukraine has put up against their sovereign neighbours. 

Videos and images have been shared across social media of tractors pulling away Russian military vehicles,

The first video surfaced just four days after the war had started and it showcased a tractor hauling away a whole Russian tank seemingly with ease.

The caption of the video read: “Ukrainian farmer steals Russian tank from right under the nose of the Russians who occupied it."

In the clip, you could see a person seemingly running after the tank trying to catch up with it.

The humble tractor has since become synonymous with the narrative that the civilians of Ukraine aren’t just going to stand down and let the Russian army take their country.

It's also highlighted Russia's ineptitude at invading their western neighbour.

There was another video posted on Twitter showing an abandoned tank being hauled through snowy streets by a John Deere. 

Much like the Ghost of Kyiv, the validity of this footage has been in question, with experts unable to geolocate it and the spread on social media has made it difficult to truly depict what is the truth.

However, it doesn’t seem to matter to the mass of people online who are standing in support of the Ukrainian resistance. 

It seems like Ukrainian state services are also happy to continue pushing the narrative behind this symbol.

Ukraine’s National Agency for the Protection against Corruption declared that captured Russian tanks and armour do not have to be declared.

In a statement, they announced: “Have you captured a Russian tank or armored personnel carrier and are worried about how to declare it? Keep calm and continue to defend the Motherland!

"There is no need to declare the captured Russian tanks and other equipment, because the cost of this ... does not exceed 100 living wages.”

Just this week further footage came in of a tractor convoy on their way to the Kherson region of Ukraine to seemingly defend the area that the Russian army currently occupies. 

Just like the Snake Island soldiers who famously told a Russian warship to 'go f**ck yourself', these farmers in their tractors have been immortalised during this war.

With hackers volunteering to take down Russian websites, workers rebuilding rail lines to help refugees escape, and countless donations from people of all ages towards the country coming in, these symbols hold their importance in reminding the world to keep fighting with Ukraine.