Ukrainian drone sends panic through Russian ranks, immobilizes $4.5 million T‑90 tank

A video released by the press service of the 47th Mechanized Brigade shows the Ukrainian drone strike provoking the Russian soldiers to abandon one among their most modern tanks: the T-90M Proryv.

The T-90M Proryv, often known as Putin's "pride," is a main battle tank fitted with a W-92S2 diesel engine that provides 1130 horsepower. It comes equipped with formidable reactive armor and an optoelectronic Sosna-U system. Its main weaponry includes a smooth-bore 2A46M-5 gun of caliber 125 mm that can hold the most recent type of APFSDS ammunition. It also has an additional 7.62 mm caliber machine gun and a 12.7 mm anti-aircraft gun.

The tank's dimensions measure up to 22.5 feet long, 11.1 feet wide, and 7.3 feet high, and it weighs approximately 51.3 tons. It can reach a top speed of 40 miles per hour and spans a range up to 404 miles.

The Ukrainian drone attacked a tank of this caliber. Although exterior damages appear insignificant, the Russian soldiers immediately attempted to retreat and deserted the vehicle. The success of the drone attack was due to a precise hit on the slat armor at the top of the turret.

As described by Defense Express, the drone operator exhibited commendable skills, selecting the best angle for the frontal attack. "Incidents like this demonstrate that the value of drones isn't solely in the quantity of enemy equipment they can destroy, but also in their ability to immobilize the enemy and compel them to retreat," the defense portal reported.

It's relevant to mention that a kamikaze drone typically costs just a few thousand dollars, while the T-90M tank costs around 4.5 million dollars to manufacture. Therefore, costlier doesn't necessarily mean better.

This marks another successful immobilization of what's touted as Putin's "pride". Since the inception of the war, Ukrainians have damaged, destroyed, or seized 55 T-90M tanks - a figure corroborated by photographic evidence.