The UK's Ministry of Defence has concluded that Russia's latest and most advanced tanks are still vulnerable after one was blown up by Ukrainian forces.
A modern T-90M tank, the most formidable in the Russian army, was caught on camera being hit and destroyed by a rocket in the north-eastern Ukrainian region of Kharkiv Oblast.
The development will hearten NATO planners as the Ministry of Defence states that the conflict in Ukraine is taking a heavy toll on some of Russia's most capable units and most advanced capabilities that they will struggle to replace due to Western sanctions restricting access to vital components such as microelectronics.
'The T-90M was introduced in 2016 and includes improved armour, an upgraded gun and enhances satellite navigation systems,' the MoD tweeted in a regular bulletin on Saturday.
'Approximately 100 T-90M tanks are currently in service amongst Russia's best equipped units, including those fighting in Ukraine.
'The system's upgraded armour, designed to counter anti-tank weaponry, remains vulnerable if unsupported by other force elements.'
the Ukrainian military released drone footage of a Russian armoured unit which resulted in the destruction of the £4million tank as well as a thermobaric multiple rocket system. The drone showed several armoured vehicles blow up in quick succession
The Russians were unaware they were only moments from destruction
A Russian T-90M tank (front) and other military vehicles drive along the Garden Ring road towards the Red Square for a rehearsal of the Victory Day military parade due to take place on May 9
NATO anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM) - primarily Javelins and NLAWS - in Ukrainian hands have decimated Russian tank stocks throughout the ongoing ten week conflict.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence claims 1,122 Russian tanks destroyed as of May 7 2022 from a total of 2700 main battle tanks at the start of the war, according to the IISS (International Institute for Strategic Studies).
But Russian tank stocks, while formidable on paper, are largely of older, obsolete Soviet designs, such as the T-62 and T-70. Although they can be upgraded, it was thought that they would be more vulnerable to Western ATGMs than the latest T90M.
The armour on the T-90M is designed to explode when hit by an anti-tank missile, blunting the penetrative power of the incoming round.
But missiles such as the Javelin are fitted with two warheads; one blows away the reactive armour, and the second pierces the chassis underneath.
