Russian drones have destroyed a Ukrainian tank in Kursk Region beyond repair, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has said, releasing video of a spectacular explosion.
In a statement on Friday, the ministry said that the Russian group of forces ‘North’, which is repelling Kiev’s large-scale incursion on Russian soil, had conducted two UAV strikes on Ukrainian armor. Officials said that the “objective monitoring equipment had recorded the detonation of the tank ammunition load.”
The 40-second clip released by the ministry shows a Russian rotor drone targeting a Ukrainian tank from behind as it speeds down a rural road along the forest. After the first drone crashes into the tank’s turret, sending a plume of smoke into the air, the second carries out a follow-up attack.
A separate video, apparently filmed from a reconnaissance drone hundreds of meters away, then shows a powerful, fiery explosion that sends pieces of armor, and apparently the tank turret, flying into the air.
Ukraine launched its largest-ever incursion into Kursk Region early last month and initially made some gains, with officials in Kiev claiming that the operation was aimed at improving the country’s standing for possible peace talks with Moscow. The Russian Defense Ministry has said the advance has been halted and that its troops have begun pushing Ukraine back. Moscow has also ruled out any engagement with Kiev as long as it has boots on Russian territory and continues indiscriminate strikes on civilians there.
The Russian Defense Ministry has estimated Ukrainian losses at more than 15,300 troops and more than 1,000 armored vehicles since the start of the incursion.