The moment the Ukrainian Abrams tank was shot and burned

Video from a Russian UAV shows a suicide drone hitting the ammunition compartment of a Ukrainian Abrams tank in an open area near Avdeevka.

On February 28, Russia's RusVesna website published a video recorded by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), showing the moment an Abrams main battle tank was destroyed on a road near the village of Berdychi northwest of the city of Avdeevka in Donetsk province.

"Soldiers from the Central Military District tracked and used a cheap suicide drone to hit a multi-million dollar tank," the news site said.

The moment the Ukrainian Abrams tank was shot and burned

The moment a Ukrainian Abrams tank was shot and burned on February 26. Video: Telegram/RVvoenkory

In the video, the Abrams is seen standing still on the road, and it is unclear whether the crew is aiming at a target or the vehicle is malfunctioning. A large explosion erupts behind the turret, sending up a plume of smoke, before the ammunition in the storage bay catches fire and sparks a raging fire.

The Russian Defense Ministry and the Ukrainian military have not commented on the video.

Russian journalist Vladimir Soloviev reported on February 26 that soldiers from the 15th Motorized Rifle Brigade used a first-person view (FPV) drone to attack an Abrams tank, before firing an RPG to finish it off. Close-up photos from the Russian UAV showed that the Abrams’ ammunition compartment had exploded and some flames had not yet been extinguished in the engine compartment. The fate of the Ukrainian crew is unknown.

The incident came three days after the 47th Independent Mechanized Brigade of Ukraine posted a video of an M1A1SA tank moving near the town of Avdeevka and opening fire on suspected Russian forces, marking the first time the Abrams tank has been seen in combat in this conflict.

The US has delivered a total of 31 M1A1SA Abrams tanks to Ukraine, enough to equip an armored battalion. But for many months, this main battle tank model has not participated in any battles, and its images are very rare on the Ukrainian battlefield.

Ukrainian Abrams tanks after being attacked by Russian forces on February 26. Photo: Telegram/SolovievLive

The M1 Abrams is considered one of the best tanks in the world today. However, the M1A1 version donated to Ukraine is not equipped with modern armor like the version used by the US military, making them more vulnerable to many common anti-tank missiles.

The M1 Abrams also has the disadvantage of being very fuel-hungry and requires complicated maintenance procedures, such as daily cleaning of the air filter to avoid engine failure, which is difficult for Ukrainian soldiers to do on the fierce battlefield.

Vu Anh (According to RT, War Zone )

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