The russian occupation forces have begun using explosive-laden T-54/T-55 tanks on the battlefield. Footage of the deployment of such suicide tanks was recently released online, and one of the first attempts by the occupiers to deploy explosive-laden tanks in combat proved to be unsuccessful.
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The footage shows an attack by a russian suicide tank or suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive device, also known as VBIED, on the position of Ukrainian military forces, reportedly near the city of Mariynka in Donetsk region.
The tank was loaded with six tons of TNT, presumably with the intention of driving it into the trenches of Ukrainian military and detonating it. However, the vehicle first encountered mines approximately 100 meters away from the soldiers, and it was successfully destroyed by a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) shot.
This is likely one of the first attacks using suicide tank based on the T-54/T-55 tanks, which, on one hand, can be considered unsuccessful because the vehicle ultimately did not reach the position. However, on the other hand, this relatively new threat should not be underestimated.
Indeed, the video highlights a major drawback of these vehicles – they are far from being inconspicuous and are easily visible from a distance, especially when moving across open fields as shown in the footage. The combination of mines and anti-tank weaponry (such as RPGs or ATGMs) can effectively halt the tank.
Furthermore, the behavior of the VBIEDs is expected to be relatively predictable. The occupiers have not yet equipped these vehicles with remote control systems. Instead, they seem to have disabled the throttle pedal using bricks or some other method, causing the vehicle to move in a straight line towards the target.
Indeed, despite being stopped at a relatively short distance from the position, it is important not to dismiss the fact that under less favorable conditions, the tank could reach its intended target. However, achieving that outcome would require a combination of factors, one of which is the tank remaining undamaged. Therefore, it is crucial to take this threat seriously, especially by equipping military units with a number of anti-tank weapons.
Of course, it is not the first time that such suicide vehicles have been used on the battlefield in Ukraine. Both Ukrainian military and the occupiers have demonstrated the use of ground-based unmanned platforms equipped with anti-personnel or anti-tank mines combined with explosives. These can be considered analogues to the German Goliath tracked mine but utilizing new technologies.
Indeed, besides tanks and unmanned platforms, other vehicles such as regular trucks or even the previously mentioned explosive-laden MT-LB can serve as the base for mobile bombs. The occupiers have already utilized this approach on the battlefield.
Regarding the T-54/T-55 tanks, it was first reported in March of this year that russia had started the refurbishment of these tanks. At that time, it was speculated that one of the potential uses for these tanks could be their transformation into suicide vehicles. However, these tanks will primarily serve the occupiers as effective assault guns rather than exclusively as suicide vehicles.
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