Modern warfare is rapidly evolving, with drones playing an increasingly decisive role on the battlefield.
In Ukraine, drone operators have turned these unmanned weapons into highly effective tank hunters, targeting even Russia’s most advanced armored vehicles.
A newly released video shows Ukrainian drone operators from the 24th Mechanized Brigade successfully hitting and disabling multiple Russian tanks, including T-90M, T-72, and T-80 models, as well as a BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicle near Chasiv Yar.
The footage highlights Russia’s growing vulnerability to precision drone strikes, even against its most modern battle tanks.
Fails to Withstand Drone Attack
The T-90M, an upgraded version of the T-90A introduced in 2021, was intended to showcase the best of Russian armored warfare.
With a modern fire control system, thermal optics, and Relikt reactive armor, it was promoted as one of the most advanced tanks in the Russian arsenal, according to WP.
However, its core structure is still based on the older T-72B, leaving critical weak points that Ukrainian forces have learned to exploit.
In the latest attack, a Russian T-90M was equipped with additional armor plating and an electronic jamming system designed to disrupt drones.
Despite these upgrades, Ukrainian operators managed to bypass the tank’s defenses, possibly using fiber-optic-controlled drones or AI-assisted targeting.
As the video shows, the Russian crew was caught by surprise. Two soldiers riding on the tank scrambled to escape as the driver hastily shut his hatch.
The first drone strike was not immediately lethal, but it was enough to force the crew to abandon the vehicle. Follow-up drone strikes then completely destroyed the tank.
While some of the Russian crew members survived, many have not been as lucky.
The T-72 and T-90 series are known for their ammunition storage design, which places shells inside the main hull without isolation from the crew.
This flaw has resulted in countless dramatic explosions, with turrets being blown off tanks when ammunition ignites.
Although Russia has attempted to reinforce its tanks with field modifications, these have proven inconsistent in effectiveness.
