Russian T-72 Spotted Burning in Destroyed Ukrainian Town – A newly posted video on Friday morning to Twitter highlighted the destruction of the Ukrainian town of Marinka, in the Donetsk Oblast.
The clip, recorded at ground level and shared by Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons), showed a Russian T-72B3 that came under fire in the now-ruined city. The tank appeared to have taken a direct hit from a man-portable anti-tank weapon – it is then seen engulfed in flames before its ammunition inside sets off a massive explosion.
Though it is unclear if there was a crew inside, it would be unlikely anyone could have survived.
As noted, the minute-and-a-half footage, seen to have been taken by a smartphone, also provides a clear picture of the devastation to the Ukrainian community.
Even as much attention had been focused on the city of Bakhmut, located on the far eastern side of the Donetsk Oblast – just 80 miles away, the town of Marinka in the center of the oblast has also been largely destroyed as a result of the ongoing fighting.
Marinka, a town founded centuries ago, had a population of around 10,000 before the war. According to recent reports, its people have fled and no civilians have lived there since November of last year, while the city has been reduced to a “post-apocalyptic wasteland.” There is little sign of life among the bombed-out buildings, but based on the videos shared on social media, there are increasingly hulks of destroyed tanks littering the streets.
Battle of Marinka Again
Marinka had been the site of a June 2015 battle in the Donbas and saw some of the heaviest fighting in the conflict between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces. The city has now endured more than a year of fighting, as the current “Battle of Marinka” began on March 17, 2022 when Russian forces attacked the town following weeks of shelling.
In fact, the separatist Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) had begun its bombardment of Marinka days before Russia launched its unprovoked invasion.
It is currently believed that Ukrainian forces in and around Marinka consist of units of the 54th Mechanized Brigade and the 79th Air Assault Brigade, which are supported by the National Guard of Ukraine troops from the Azov Regiment and Donbas Battalion. Russian forces from the 42nd Guards Motor Rifle Division and 150th Motor Rifle Division are fighting alongside DPR Armed Forces.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that the future of Ukraine largely depends on the eastern battlefields – warning that Russia must be stopped not only in Bakhmut but also in towns like Marinka.
#Ukraine: A Russian T-72B3 (Possibly Obr. 2016/2022), was destroyed by Ukrainian fire in Marinka, #Donetsk Oblast. Only a minor entry in the turret tossing competition this time. pic.twitter.com/QXCuZe877W
— ???????? Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) March 31, 2023
“It is very tough in the east, very painful. We need to destroy the enemy’s military might, and we will,” Zelenskyy said in his regular night-time address earlier this month. “Bilohorivka and Marinka, Avdiivka and Bakhmut, Vuhledar and Kamyanka and all other places where our future is being decided. Where our future, the future of all Ukrainians, is being fought for.”
It would appear that Ukraine soldiers are giving all they can, and making Russia pay for every inch. One more tank was seen burning, but one more Ukrainian town has also been razed to the ground.
Author Experience and Expertise:
A Senior Editor for 19FortyFive, Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu.
