Ukrainian forces seize an advanced Russian T‑90M tank in a significant victory

Ukrainians from the 68th Separate Rifle Brigade showcased their latest prize. During recent battles, they seized from the Russians their newest and most advanced tank—the T-90M Proryv. They also captured two other vehicles. The soldiers claim, "Now these trophies will destroy their former owners."

Both sides of the conflict regularly lose vehicles at the front. In most cases, this is the result of assaults on enemy positions. However, sometimes military equipment is not destroyed but captured by the enemy as a trophy.

Such situations happen at the front frequently – not long ago, the Ukrainians boasted of capturing a Russian T-72B3, one of the best tanks in the Russian arsenal, which was almost intact. On another occasion, the defenders' army snatched BTR-82 carriers from the Ukrainians. There have also been more spectacular seizures, such as the one that took place in the last days of May this year. Back then, Russians lost their "pride", which Putin himself described as "the best tank in the world" – the T-90M Proryv.

Now, Ukrainians from the 68th Separate Rifle Brigade boast a similar success. Once again, they captured the best vehicle from the Russian arsenal—the T-90M Proryv—almost intact. Shortly after, soldiers from the brigade above managed to take two more cars from the Russians—a T-80 and a BMP-2. According to the soldiers responsible for the operation, "Now these trophies will ruthlessly destroy their former owners."

How exactly did the capture of the T-90M Proryv in Ukraine happen? The military explains that the Russians essentially fled from the battlefield. "The tank led a charge that ended in complete failure. The T-90 crew left their newest vehicle on the battlefield and fled," – we read on the group's Facebook page. Later, a Ukrainian driver-mechanic decided to retrieve the abandoned tank "and returned with it."

Let us recall that the T-90M Proryv tank was essentially deemed "a failure instead of a breakthrough" during last year's studies conducted by Ukrainians. This was due to the identification of worn-out parts, the absence of certain elements, etc. Nevertheless, the T-90M remains a vehicle that poses a real threat to Western weapons used by Ukrainians.

This is primarily because of the 125 mm 2A4M-5 cannon combined with the Kalina fire control system. Additionally, the T-90M can fire 7.62 mm and 12.7 mm machine guns at lightly armoured units and enemy infantry.

The crew’s safety inside the tank is mainly ensured by the Relikt reactive armour, which the manufacturer has applied to the most vulnerable areas of the hull. As seen in the trophy photos published by Ukrainians, the Russian T-90M is also equipped with "chains," an additional reinforcement meant to protect the structure from incoming drones. The T-90M Proryv is powered by a 1,000 hp engine that propels the tank to 70 km/h speeds.