A Ukrainian T-72 tank destroyed a Russian BMD-4 infantry fighting vehicle from just 30 meters away in Chasiv Yar, Donetsk Oblast, combat footage shows. The engagement occurred on or before 18 January, as Russian paratroopers attempted to advance into the town’s central district, Forbes reports.
The 24th Mechanized Brigade reported that Ukrainian infantry first disabled one BMD with a rocket-propelled grenade. The second BMD was subsequently destroyed by the point-blank tank shot.
“It would have been unusual earlier in the war for a Ukrainian tank to fight that close. But the battlefield of Russia’s 35-month wider war on Ukraine is changing in ways that favor Ukrainian armored forces, even as Russian troops—who outnumber Ukrainian troops—continue to slowly advance. Albeit it at enormous cost,” Forbes noted.
The close-quarter engagement reflects a shifting battlefield dynamic, according to a Russian blogger cited by Estonian analyst WarTranslated. The blogger noted that Russian tanks “can only operate from covered positions” due to the overwhelming presence of Ukrainian drones along the 800-mile front line.
While both sides deploy tens of thousands of drones monthly, Russian units face challenges with equipment quality, operator experience, and Ukraine’s superior radio-jamming capabilities, Forbes says.
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- Russian troops advance in strategically important Chasiv Yar and Toretsk, Donetsk Oblast – DeepState
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