Russian T‑90M tank shockingly mistaken for a Leopard 2
A Russian military correspondent documented a rather intriguingly embedded tank turret in winter, initially believed to be a Leopard. The truth turned out to be much more brutal, as the accompanying person identified the wreck as a Russian T-90M. Here, we explore its capabilities and how it was destroyed.
11:23 AM EST, November 9, 2024
The Russian military correspondent documented wrecks in the frontline region and was most interested in a specimen with a torn-off turret embedded in the ground. The tank was destroyed by a mine, which caused the detonation of the ammunition it was carrying.
Initially, the Russian thought it was a Leopard 2, but was quickly corrected by a companion who identified the wreck as a T-90M tank. This is indicated, among other things, by the arrangement of hatches and the smoke grenade launchers on the turret.
The pinnacle of Russian armored thought becoming rarer
T-90M tanks are created by rebuilding earlier models such as the T-90A and T-72B. This means that the production of these tanks may be halted once the supplies of older shells in post-Soviet warehouses run out. T-90M tanks are among the most dangerous machines that Ukrainians can encounter.
The T-90 tank family was developed in response to the massive destruction of Iraqi T-72s during the Persian Gulf War. To avoid unfavorable comparisons, the Russians renamed the comprehensive modernization of the T-72B tank to T-90A. This model later evolved into the T-90M, which became a main attraction at Russian arms fairs praised by Vladimir Putin.
The T-90M is characterized by a fire control system with a thermal imaging camera based on French solutions, although these have now been replaced with components from other sources. The tank is also equipped with two-layer Relikt reactive armor, offering protection against anti-tank missiles with dual warheads and reducing the effectiveness of kinetic penetrators fired from other tanks.
Nevertheless, the reactive armor is an overlay on the basic armor from the T-72B model, which creates weak points exploited by Ukrainian FPV drone pilots.
The automatic loader, with a hull-mounted magazine containing a full set of 22 projectiles and powder charges, on which two of the three crew members sit directly, has also remained unchanged. Any damage to it essentially guarantees a powerful explosion with a torn-off turret, which then falls further or closer. These changes have increased the T-90M's weight to about 53 tons, necessitating the use of a more efficient engine with 1,250 horsepower.
