Russian soldier proposes to girlfriend by using 16 tanks to make the shape of a heart

MOSCOW: A Russian soldier has pulled out all the stops to propose to his girlfriend, with his fellow officers manoeuvring 16 tanks to surround the couple in a heart shape.

The high-octane romantic stunt was filmed in a video published by the defence ministry on Friday, Valentine´s Day.

As snow fell, the T-72B3 tanks rolled into position on the Alabino training ground outside Moscow.

Lieutenant Denis Kazantsev led his long-term partner Alexandra Kopytova into the centre as she held her hands over her eyes, the defence ministry´s TV channel Zvezda reported.

Kazantsev, a platoon commander, went down on bended knee, holding a bunch of red roses.

"We´ve been together a very long time. We´ve stood the test of time and distance. Marry me!" he said as his girlfriend nodded silently. He then put a ring on her finger.

"I still don´t understand what´s going on," Kopytova told a television reporter at the scene. "It´s very unexpected."

The tanks used for the romantic manoeuvre also take part in the annual Victory Parade on Red Square, Zvezda.