Russian blunder: T‑90M tanks mistakenly shown as destroyed
Russian propaganda has made another blunder, disseminating a video supposedly showing the destruction of two Ukrainian tanks. The truth turned out to be different, as the recording actually shows Russian tanks, specifically their most valuable T-90M models.
The event presented by the Russians took place in the Donetsk region, in the Pokrovsk direction. However, that's the only part that aligns with the entire story they described on social media.
Russians did not recognize their T-90M
The Russians released the video intending to showcase the incompetence of Ukrainian crews, as both tanks were destroyed after running over mines. A detailed analysis of the published video by war observers in Ukraine, along with the information and photos presented by the Ukrainian army regarding skirmishes in the Pokrovsk region, clearly indicates that the Russians lost two T-90M tanks there (specifically near the city of Selydove).
In July this year, it was confirmed that the number of T-90M tanks lost by the Russians in Ukraine had surpassed 100 units. According to the creators of the Oryx blog, who monitor and document Russian losses, the current count is now 120 such machines that Ukrainians have eliminated. This includes tanks destroyed, damaged, or seized.
Since the beginning of the war, the Ukrainians have eliminated over 3,500 invader tanks. The losses related to the T-90M are particularly painful because it is Putin's army's best and most valuable tank. The price of one T-90M unit is estimated at around $4.5 million.
The T-90M is not without flaws
The T-90M is the latest tank in the T-90 family, and it was introduced into service only in 2020. It has a 125 mm 2A46M-5 cannon and an improved fire control system. It comes with factory-fitted enhancements, including modular reactive armor Relikt protecting the hull and turret. Two machine guns in .30 and .50 calibers provide additional armament. A 1,000 hp engine powers the machine.
The Ukrainians know much more about the T-90M than before the war. The seized units allowed them to conduct detailed inspections and analyses. Based on these, they have described the T-90M as a "failure instead of a breakthrough." It deviates from the image crafted by the Kremlin (Putin himself claimed it was the best tank in the world), although it remains significantly better than older, Soviet-era designs used by Russians in Ukraine.
