Ukrainian drone strikes panic in a Russian tank crew. $3.5M T‑90M abandoned on the battlefield
The crew of the Russian T-90M tank, a key element of Vladimir Putin's military, fled and left the valuable asset on the field of battle due to a drone attack. While the attack did not severely damage the tank, it caused the soldiers to panic and retreat, leaving a vehicle worth $3.5 million behind on the front line.
9:56 AM EST, December 27, 2023
The recording captured by a Ukrainian scout drone shows the Russians' response to the hit. The drone struck the front of the turret, causing minor damage. Likely injured, the driver lost control of the tank. It veered into a thicket and clumsily moved about the field.
Eventually, three soldiers lept out and began to flee in panic. This event occurred near Avdiivka, in the Donetsk region.
A small unmanned aircraft can neutralize an expensive and powerful machine quickly, effectively, and cost-effectively. The Russians are adapting to Ukraine's tactics and incorporating this strategy into their combat repertoire.
Since the beginning of the invasion, Ukraine has lost 5,899 tanks, including many modern models. The tank featured in the recording may be salvaged by Ukrainians, fixed, and utilized in the battle against the attacker.
The heavy T-90M tanks, designed to be the Russian military's pride and secret weapon, are proving to be vulnerable to drone attacks. These tanks come for $3.5 million. When a drone cannot utterly damage a tank, it locates the target for artillery and extremely efficient HIMARS to proceed with the attack.
On the other hand, the Russians possess vast resources, pull equipment from storage, and continually deploy more units to the battlefield. So far, there's no sign that they're depleting their equipment; they still have numerous tanks in reserve.
