Drone strike exposes fatal flaw in Russia's T‑90M tanks
The T-90M tanks, which Vladimir Putin has lauded as the finest machines worldwide, are essentially "upgraded" T-72s that can be deadly traps for their crews. A strike in just the right spot can engulf the tank in flames.
In the Donetsk region, the well-known "Madyar's Birds" squad of Ukrainian drone operators released footage showing a Russian T-90M tank, likely hit by an FPV drone controlled via fiber optics, which, despite being heavily armored, spectacularly erupted into a fireball. The drone may cost over $1,000, while the T-90M tank is valued at around $4.5 million.
The cumulative jet from the drone ignited the propellant charges not only in the ammunition storage but also in the barrel, causing the tank's final shot. Interestingly, this time the turret was not blown off, because the hatch was apparently open, allowing the energy from the burning propellant charges to escape. The intense fire and white smoke also indicate their ignition.
T-90M tank - "upgraded" T-72B with French optoelectronics
The T-90M tanks, introduced into service in 2021, are an advanced version of the T-90A tanks from the 1990s, essentially evolving from the T-72B family. The T-90 name was largely a Russian marketing strategy to distinguish this "new design" from the widely destroyed T-72 family tanks during the First Gulf War.
The T-90M tank was also showcased as a highlight of the Russian arms industry in the years leading up to the full-scale war in Ukraine and received frequent praise from Vladimir Putin.
A significant feature of the T-90M tanks is their modern fire control system, equipped with French-made thermal imaging. However, these units are becoming less common as newly produced tanks now use relatively inferior quality alternative systems.
Another characteristic feature is the two-layer Relikt reactive armor, which offers protection against double-charge warhead missiles and reduces the effectiveness of kinetic penetrators from other tanks. However, this is an additional layer on top of the existing armor, which remains the old T-72B. It's impossible to achieve complete coverage of the existing tank's armor, creating gaps in protection that Ukrainian drone operators have exploited.
Like the T-72, the T-90M has an autoloader with ammunition stored in the hull, where two of the three crew members sit directly above. Consequently, any penetration of the armor can trigger a spectacular chain explosion of 22 shells and propellant charges.
