- Two US-made Bradley infantry fighting vehicles took out a Russian T-90.
- A video shows the burned-up tank spinning out of control after being bombarded by the Bradleys.
A video shows two US-made Bradley infantry fighting vehicles taking out one of Russia's main battle tanks.
In the drone footage shared online, two of Ukraine's vehicles can be seen engaging a Russian T-90 tank in the village of Stepove, on the outskirts of Avdiivka in northeastern Ukraine.
Reports say the tank was a T-90M Proryv, the latest in the series, with the most advanced armor, mobility, and firepower.
Bradley IFV of the 47th Brigade of Ukraine engages in a battle with Russian T-90M, Avdiivka front. (Bradley is in foreground while T-90M is in the middle of the village). At the end of the video it’s visible that tank most likely received significant damage as the crew cannot… pic.twitter.com/uutTexfXf5
— Special Kherson Cat (@bayraktar_1love) January 12, 2024
The Russian tank fires first at the fighting vehicles, and misses.
The two Bradley fighting vehicles spray the tank with 25mm one-pound shells. The Bradleys aimed at the juncture of the hull and the turret housing the gun systems, the weakest point on any tank, said Bulgariamilitary.com.
The Bradleys, firing at close range from different directions in a combat lasting 10 minutes, eventually caused the burned-up tank's turret to spin uncontrollably and then veer into a tree.
Drones also help the vehicles on the ground by firing from above throughout the exchange.
The Bradley vehicles were likely being operated by Ukraine's 47th Brigade, as it is the only brigade fighting with the US-supplied vehicles, according to Forbes.
Russia's T-90s are the main battle tanks used by the Russian military. The three-crew vehicles typically have a 125 mm smoothbore gun and thick composite armor.
Independent analysis suggests that Russia might have lost two-thirds of the tanks it began its invasion of Ukraine with.
Bradleys are also three-crew vehicles, that can also carry an additional seven infantry, armed with a 25 mm cannon that can fire at 200 rounds per minute.
The US provided Ukraine with around 200, of which at least 31 have been lost, per Forbes.
Russian soldiers are "afraid" of facing against Bradleys, a Ukrainian commander said, Newsweek reported.
The Ukrainian soldier, who goes by his call sign of "Kach," said that Russian troops in tanks and troop carriers fear going into battle against the tracked armored fighting vehicles.
The Bradley is fast and "very maneuverable" and protects soldiers with its heavy armor, Kach told Newsweek. The Ukrainian commander also praised its "powerful machine gun."
Avdiivka has become a flash point of fighting in Ukraine, as Russian forces have been trying to capture the city in Donetsk in large numbers.
Russia has reportedly lost scores of tanks and armored vehicles in its attempted assaults on Avdiivka.