The armored vehicle was hit by a drone strike, footage indicates
The Russian Defense Ministry has released a new video that reportedly shows the destruction of a Ukrainian tank in Kursk Region.
The vehicle, which was concealed in a wooded area and was apparently fitted with anti-drone netting, was struck by a “guided munition,” the Russian military stated, sharing thermal drone footage on Monday.
The tank apparently sustained a direct hit to its ammunition stock and was obliterated by a powerful secondary detonation, the footage suggests.
While the ministry did not specify which weapon had been used to destroy the tank, the footage indicates that it was likely struck by an Orion medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) drone. The UAV apparently deployed a Kh-BPLA laser-guided missile, which struck the tank in the rear of its turret.
Russian MALE UAVs appear to have made a surprise return to the battlefield in the past week, being actively deployed against the Ukrainian invasion force in Kursk Region. While MALE UAVs were widely used by both sides early in the conflict, they were later perceived as ineffective, as Moscow and Kiev heavily covered the front line with assorted early warning and anti-aircraft systems.
The situation changed when Ukraine launched its incursion into Kursk Region in early August. The invading force apparently lacked extensive anti-air coverage, and has reportedly lost multiple anti-aircraft systems in the area in the past few weeks.
