The war in Ukraine has been going on for nearly four years. During this time, the Ukrainian military has provided some moments of incredible bravery and skill.
In one such moment, a lone Ukrainian soldier takes out a Russian T-80BV tank with an RPG-7 rocket-propelled grenade.
In a video that recently emerged, the soldier is seen taking out the Russian main battle tank the old school way: with a handheld anti-tank weapon.
In the video, a Russian T-80BV tank rolls through a muddy road somewhere in Ukraine. The Russian crew does not seem to feel in acute danger. The hatches are closed, and the crew is in combat mode, but they do not seem to be expecting a Ukrainian anti-tank element to show up any time soon.
At that point, a Ukrainian soldier emerges from the woods armed with an RPG-7 anti-tank rocket. He takes careful aim and lands a perfect hit at the rear of the Russian tank, causing a catastrophic explosion within the machine. The Russian tank catches fire and is destroyed. There is no evidence that the crew escaped.
The Russian mechanized forces have suffered heavy losses in Ukraine. According to the estimates of the Ukrainian High Command, Russia has lost thousands of main battle tanks, including T-90, T-80, T-72, and T-64 tanks.
One reason behind the heavy Russian armor losses is a structural flaw in the design of Russian tanks. The ammunition located inside the tanks is not protected in a specialized area but rather is close to the turret for rapid fire capabilities. However, as a result of this arrangement, a well-aimed hit can detonate the ammunition and trigger a catastrophic explosion. Countless Russian tanks have been destroyed after a catastrophic explosion of this type.
Tanks are here to stay
Although some, before the war in Ukraine began, had predicted that tanks are a thing of the past, the reality is that they are very much part of modern warfare. To be sure, you will not see large tank battles with dozens of armor from either side exchanging blows like the Germans and Russians did in Kursk in 1943. However, you will see single-tank engagements pretty often. Further, both combatants are using tanks to support mechanized infantry during offensive and defensive operations.
New threats to tanks, especially suicide drones, have made them more vulnerable on the battlefield. But countermeasures do exist, such as mounted anti-drone sensors and cage coops, and militaries around the world have been incorporating them in an attempt to increase tank survivability and ensure that they continue to provide valuable services to mechanized troops on the battlefield.
Nevertheless, the incident between the lone Ukrainian soldier and the Russian T-80BV shows that conventional methods of taking out a main battle tank continue to be viable options.
Feature Image: Screenshot of video showing the Ukrainian soldier destroying Russian T-80 tank. (United24 Media Youtube)
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