Russian drone ‘beheads’ Ukrainian tank – MOD (VIDEO)

A devastating strike with a first person view kamikaze drone has obliterated a Ukrainian tank in Russia’s Kursk Region, according to footage of the engagement.

The short clip was published late on Tuesday on social media and reportedly comes from the Russian 810th Guards Naval Infantry Brigade, which was deployed this month to fend off the Ukrainian incursion.

The Russian Defense Ministry vouched for the authenticity of the video on Wednesday, but did not confirm details, only stating that the strike took place in Kursk Region.

The tank, identified as a Ukrainian T-72M1 by some media outlets, was reportedly caught in the open near the village of Olgovka, some 30km northwest from the border town of Sudzha, which is currently controlled by Kiev’s forces.

The video shows the war machine in action, moving and firing shells from its main gun, and later remaining stationary on a dirt road. The view then switches to the drone, showing how its pilot directed the loitering munition to a weak spot at the back of the turret. The strike was also filmed from another drone. The impact caused a large explosion, which blew the turret off the main body and threw it several meters away. The vehicle was then shown engulfed by fire and obliterated by secondary explosions.

The footage does not indicate whether the crew was manning the tank at the time it was hit. Kamikaze drones can be used to finish off disabled and abandoned vehicles on the battlefield so that the enemy cannot recover them.

Kiev sent thousands of troops into Kursk Region this month in a bid to seize land and put pressure on Moscow by intimidating the civilian population, as described by Ukrainian officials.

The Russian military estimates Ukrainian military losses in the operation at over 6,600 troops, 73 tanks, hundreds of other military vehicles and dozens of heavy weapons. The settlement of Olgovka was listed in the latest update on the situation by the Defense Ministry on Tuesday as being among several the Ukrainians tried and failed to capture.