In early May, Ukrainian military shared the news on the destruction of russian newest tank model, the T-90M "Proryv".
With a few videos emerging later on the web, the episode became widely discussed. Experts from Defense Express, when analyzing drone footage, suggested the tanks could even be blown up by russians themselves, after it got trapped in a Ukrainian ambush.
Read more: Russia’s Latest Heavy Armor Before and After Coming to Ukraine (Photo Compilation)
The explanation from the Ukrainian General Staff came quite a while after. This Monday, the military from Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces said it actually took two strikes to neutralize the tank.
They say when Ukrainian regular forces liberated the town of Staryi Saltiv in May, the Kharkiv Territorial Defense took over the defense line. Russians tried to regain control over the city. A column approached the town, headed by a T-90M.
"This armored vehicle was labeled as 'invulnerable' and 'invincible' by the rashists. But soldiers of the Territorial Defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine did not know about it. First, they opened crossfire with machine guns, cut off the infantry, and then anti-tank units pitched in."
The soldiers fired with an RPG-7 first, which led to the tank’s tower getting jammed. Then, a soldier with the nickname "Kuzya" finished the vehicle with a "Carl Gustaf" missile.
The defenders noted that the final blow was especially effective since the ammunition stock detonated. The turret wasn’t tossed into the air though, since it’s heavier than the one of a T-72. Yet the crew was apparently eliminated with the tank.
It is estimated that there are only twenty T-90Ms currently serving in russia’s ground forces. Russian Army got those only in 2020.
Read more: Carl Gustaf, One of the World's Most Widely Deployed Anti-Tank Weapons, has Already Made its Way to Ukraine. What Makes it so Cool?
