Ukrainian forces decimate over 100 Russian soldiers, destroy tanks near Avdiivka
In the Avdiivka area, heavy fighting continues, leading to significant losses for the Russians. Ukrainian soldiers from the Third Assault Brigade have eliminated over 100 of Putin's army soldiers and dozens of enemy armored vehicles in just the past week. We will highlight the weapons the Russians have lost.
"In the Avdiivka direction, the enemy persistently attempts to attack and continues to assault Ukrainian frontline positions. The Third Assault Brigade's mission is to inflict maximum damage," was stated in a brief summary covering the actions of this unit from March 17 to March 24.
Russian Equipment Destroyed Near Avdiivka
The destroyed Russian equipment primarily includes two T-80 tanks, an armored personnel carrier BMP-3, and unmanned aerial vehicles such as the Lancet, in addition to the less commonly seen on the front SuperCam. Furthermore, it was possible to damage self-propelled artillery guns (likely 2S9 Nona-S) and several trucks.
The loss of the two T-80 tanks adds to a growing list of tanks that Ukrainians have managed to eliminate in this area since the conflict began.
In February of this year, British intelligence reported that, according to its estimates, the Russians had lost at least 400 tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, and other armored equipment under Avdiivka. It's plausible that the number has increased even further, given the systematic reports of continued documented losses of the invaders.
T-80 Tanks in Russian Army Service
The T-80 is a third-generation main battle tank which, after the fall of the USSR, numbered about 4,500 units in various versions within the Russian army.
What sets the T-80 tanks apart from most other Russian tanks is their gas turbine propulsion, offering a power output of either 1,340 or 1,675 horsepower, depending on the version. This allows the more than 44-ton vehicle to reach speeds of about 37 mph.
For armament, these tanks are fitted with a 125 mm cannon, along with 7.62 mm and 12.7 mm machine guns. Some newer versions of the T-80 incorporate features like the electronic defense systems Shtora or Arena, advanced fire control systems, or Kontakt-5 reactive armor.
