The T-90M tank, Russia’s most advanced combat vehicle, is becoming increasingly rare on the Ukrainian frontlines.
A Massive Explosion
Despite an estimated production of around 180 units since mass production began in 2021, Russia has already lost 111 of these tanks, according to the analysis group Oryx, which tracks verified losses through photos and videos. These losses include tanks destroyed, abandoned, or captured by Ukrainian forces.
Many T-90M tanks have fallen victim to FPV (First-Person View) drones, as seen in a viral video showing one such drone hitting a T-90M and ending in a massive explosion. This highlights the growing vulnerability of even Russia’s most advanced tanks to modern drone warfare, according to WP.
The T-90M, a heavily upgraded version of the T-90A and T-72B tanks, has been touted as the pinnacle of Russian armored technology. However, the tank’s production depends on refurbishing older models, meaning new T-90M units could face production issues as older tank stocks are depleted.
A Symbol of Russian Military
The T-90 family itself emerged as a rebranding of the T-72 after many T-72 tanks were destroyed in the Gulf War. Russia wanted to distance itself from the T-72’s poor reputation, and the T-90M became a symbol of Russian military exhibitions, praised by Vladimir Putin for its advanced features.
Among the T-90M's key features are its modern fire control system with thermal imaging (originally French, but now sourced elsewhere) and the Relikt dual-layer reactive armor, which provides protection against anti-tank missiles and kinetic penetrators.
However, the tank’s main armor is still based on the T-72B, and gaps in the reactive armor can be exploited by Ukrainian FPV drone operators.
A significant vulnerability of the T-90M, like all T-72 models, is its autoloader system, which stores ammunition in the hull. If the armor is penetrated, this can cause a catastrophic explosion of 22 shells, often resulting in the tank’s turret being blown off.
In response to these threats, Russia has tried to enhance the tank’s protection, adding steel plates designed to prematurely detonate drone warheads. These upgrades have increased the tank’s weight to 48 tons, requiring a more powerful 1,250-horsepower engine.
