Ukraine has reportedly blown up a second Russian T-90M tank, one of the most advanced types that Russia has in service, just days after destroying what was said to be the first one.
Ukraine's Defense Ministry posted a video on Twitter Tuesday
showing an aerial view of a tank far in the distance just before it was struck
and engulfed in flames that sent a black mushroom cloud of smoke into the air.
The ministry said that territorial defense fighters used a Swedish Carl Gustaf
handheld anti-tank grenade launcher to destroy the tank near Staryi Saltiv in
Ukraine's Kharkiv oblast (or province) and thanked Sweden for the assistance.
Near Stary Saltiv,Kharkiv Territorial Defense fighters eliminated another new 🇷🇺T-90M "Breakthrough" tank. The pride of the russian tank industry was destroyed by the Swedish hand-held anti-tank grenade launcher Carl Gustaf.We thank the Swedish people and the King for their help. pic.twitter.com/gCiHNu2QFx
— Defence of Ukraine (@DefenceU) May 10, 2022
The
reported destruction of one of Russia's best tanks came less than a week after
Ukraine said that it destroyed the first one days after the T-90M's
presence in Ukraine was first reported by Kyiv on April 25. The alleged loss of
the second tank may be a significant blow to Russia's military in light of
recent indications that Ukrainian forces have been gaining ground in some
areas and Russia has been losing it. Russia has not addressed or
verified those reports.
Newsweek contacted Russia's Defense Ministry seeking confirmation that the T-90M tank had been destroyed.
Last month, Russia initiated a second phase of the war that it said would focus on the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine, which contains two pro-Russia separatist territories, after withdrawing forces from other regions.
A Ukrainian
counteroffensive in the east around the city of Kharkiv has seen success in
recent days, according to the Institute for the Study of War, a U.S. think
tank, and the destruction of the two T-90M tanks is an additional triumph for
Ukraine.
On May
4, Andriy Tsaplienko, a Ukrainian war reporter, posted a photo on Facebook showing
himself standing before what he said was a destroyed T-90M tank in the Kharkiv
region.
"Here's a fresh up (sic) Russian tank T-90 to improve your mood. It's hot, it's smokin' hot," he wrote in the photo's caption, according to Facebook's translation.
"This
village in the Kharkiv region was recently freed by the Ukrainian military. But
this morning the invaders tried to get into it again. As you can see, they did
it badly," Tsaplienko added.
Ukraine's Defense Ministry confirmed in a statement at the time
that it had destroyed the tank and added that an infantry fighting vehicle and
an MT-LB armored personnel carrier had also been neutralized. Russian forces
have roughly 20 of the tanks, Newsweek previously reported, so the loss of two
may have a high impact on the military's supply.
Newsweek reached out to the defense ministries of Russia and
Ukraine for comment.
https://www.newsweek.com/ukraine-blows-russias-best-tank-help-sweden-1705292
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