A bizarre video shows Russians in swimwear dousing themselves in buckets of cold water to show solidarity with soldiers

• Russians supported Putin's invasion of Ukraine by pouring icy water on themselves.
• A video shared on Twitter by a BBC journalist shows the event in Blagoveshchensk, Siberia.

People in Russia's far east have demonstrated their support for Putin's invasion of Ukraine by pouring cold water on themselves wearing only swimwear in freezing temperatures.

A video shared on Twitter by BBC journalist Francis Scarr, which he subtitled in English, shows a patriotic rally held in a square in the city of Blagoveshchensk, close to the Chinese border, 4,800 miles east of Moscow.

Nadezhda Bagrova, a local official, declared as gathered in the winter cold dressed only in swimming trunks, costumes, and bikinis, "Today, we're supporting the boys who are carrying out heroic acts in the name of our fatherland," reported The Times.

"Today, we're going to support them with our heroic act by pouring cold water on ourselves."

According to Bagrova, this was a show of how "invincible" and "strong" Russians are.

After the speech, about 150 people, ranging from teenagers to pensioners, proceeded to dump buckets of cold water on their heads.

The temperature in Blagoveshchensk averages 3 degrees Fahrenheit in February.

Russian forces have increased their attacks in Ukraine recently.

However, UK defense minister Ben Wallace told the BBC on Wednesday that Russia had not been able to amass a single force to "punch through" Ukrainian defenses.

As the anniversary of the war in Ukraine approaches, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley has said that Russia has "lost" the war.

Putin "thought he could defeat Ukraine quickly, fracture the NATO alliance, and act with impunity. He was wrong," Milley said while speaking to reporters in Brussels.

He added, "Russia is now a global pariah, and the world remains inspired by Ukrainian bravery and resilience. In short, Russia has lost — they've lost strategically, operationally, and tactically."