Video Shows Destruction of Two Russian Tanks – A video posted to Twitter on Tuesday recorded the destruction of two Russian main battle tanks (MBTs) as they crossed an open field.
Though it was undisclosed where the action took place, the two Russian tanks – believed to be T-72s – were successfully targeted by units of the Ukrainian Ground Force’s 59th Motorized Brigade, which has been engaged in the fighting around Bakhmut since last August.
The unit was previously named by the commander of Ukraine’s Operational Command South as the “best” Ukrainian motorized brigade following its service in the war in Donbas with pro-Russian separatists – and based on the newly posted approximately one-minute-long video it is easy to see why.
The pair of Russian tanks quickly came under fire, and each was disabled before their crews could react. According to Rob Lee, senior fellow of the Foreign Policy Research Institute, who had shared the video on social media, the Russian T-72s were hit by the American-made FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank guided missiles.
However, the second of the two T-72s may have actually hit a mine – but either way, there does appear that two more Russian MBTs could be added to the tally of vehicles destroyed/disabled in the now 13-month-long war.
Battleground Bakhmut
Though it is unclear when the incident may have occurred, fighting has escalated around the city of Bakhmut in recent weeks. The coal-mining hub in Ukraine’s Donetsk region has become a pivotal battlefield in the broader war for both Moscow and Kyiv, The Wall Street Journal reported. The Kremlin has made its capture a core objective, yet, Ukraine’s military has shown an unwavering resolve to hold the city.
Much of the urban center has been reduced to rubble, and the fighting has continued to evoke comparisons to the infamous Battle of Stalingrad during the Second World War, while the combat operations around the city have also been seen as a 21st-century version of the trench warfare of the Western Front during the First World War. Though Russia launched a major offensive earlier this winter to take control of Bakhmut, Kyiv has maintained that the situation has been stabilizing in recent weeks.
Fractures With Kremlin Forces
The Wagner Group, the private military contractors that have been supporting Russian forces, has also faced setbacks. There were reports this week that the mercenary group is facing ammunition shortages, while Russian efforts to encircle the city in armored assaults have only resulted in destroyed main battle tanks that now liter the open ground.
It was reported in February that Russia may have already lost more than half its tanks, and that number has likely only increased in the weeks since.
According to a report from Forbes, as of late March, nearly 1,900 Russian and pro-Kremlin separatist tanks have been destroyed or captured. To bolster its dwindling numbers, Russia has been forced to upgrade Cold War-era T-62 and even older T-54/55 series tanks.
Video of two Russian tanks targeted by Ukraine’s 59th Motorized Brigade, likely with Javelin ATGMs.https://t.co/qL8BveJCp8 pic.twitter.com/jxGECPgAh8
— Rob Lee (@RALee85) April 5, 2023
Even with enhanced armor the tanks could be metal deathtraps when facing man portable weapons such as the Javelins – while analysts have also questioned how those platforms will stand up to the British Challenger 2 and German Leopard 2 MBTs that could soon be charging into battle.
Author Experience and Expertise
A Senior Editor for 19FortyFive, Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu.
