A lieutenant in the Russian army used 16 tanks to form a heart shape before he proposed to his delighted girlfriend - who said yes.

Platoon commander Denis Kazantsev paused war games on Valentine's Day and ordered the T-72B2 tanks to make the romantic shape at the Alyabino training ground, near Moscow.

In the video, the tanks are seen being moved into position before aerial footage shows them in the shape of a heart.

A lieutenant in the Russian army, Denis Kazantsev, arranges 16 tanks into a heart shape at the Alyabino training ground, near Moscow, before he leads his girlfriend, Alexandra Koptyova, into the shape's centre and proposes to her

Lieutenant Kazantsev is then seen guiding his girlfriend, Alexandra Kopytova, who has her eyes covered, as they walk into the centre of the shape.

The soldier is clutching a bouquet of roses in his hand as he walks.

He gets down on knee as a delighted Ms Kopytova, who is in her 20s, listens while he asks her to marry him.

He tells her that they have already gone through a lot together as a couple.

Adding that he has 'so many nerves', he says: 'That is why I want to create a family with you and to live a happy long life together. Marry me?'

Lieutenant Kazantsev is seen holding out a bouquet of roses in front of him as he gets down on one knee in front of Ms Kopytova

After asking her to marry him, he then pulls out a ring and puts it on her finger. Lieutenant Kazantsev then lifts his delighted girlfriend into the air and twirls her around

With the roses still held out in front of him, Lieutenant Kazantsev then pulls out a ring and Ms Kopytova nods and smiles before they kiss and embrace.

The soldier then lifts his girlfriend into the air and twirls her around before they kiss once more.

Ms Kopytova confessed: 'I'm overwhelmed by emotions.

The pair are then seeing walking away together as Ms Kopytova looks at the new ring on her finger

'I don't understand what is going on, it's so unexpected.'

Lt Kazantsev explained: 'I postponed the proposal for about one month to organise all this so it would be unforgettable, once in a lifetime.

'It was not easy but with time my commanders agreed to let me do this.'

Russian TV, including Zvezda channel - owned by the Russian Defence Ministry - was on hand to record the proposal.