Head over to Twitter and look for Ukraine war footage, and one thing will become apparent quite fast: Russian tanks are dying in large numbers – every single day.
Some have even argued the era of the tank is over, thanks to this conflict.
And by judging the footage below, it is possible the days of the tank could very well be over.
The Ukraine War Gives Us More Dead Russian Tanks on Social Media
Anti-Putin Russians claim they destroyed two Kremlin tanks at a checkpoint in the Belgorod region bordering Ukraine.
Members of the paramilitary Freedom of Russia Legion (FRL) said via a social media post on Sunday that they used drones to destroy two Russian tanks as well as a BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicle and a BRDM patrol vehicle at the Shebekino checkpoint area.
The claims have not been independently verified.
The FRL has carried out a number of cross-border raids against Kremlin forces in the Belgorod region. It has become a sideshow from the ongoing conflict. Other video footage shared on social media showed fighting in the Russian village of Novaya Tavolzhanka over the weekend.
Terrorist Incident, Claims Moscow
Russia downplayed the raid and labeled it a terrorist attempt to infiltrate the Belgorod Region.
“Yesterday, units of the Russian Armed Forces and the FSB’s Border Guard Service foiled an attempt by two groups of Ukrainian terrorists to infiltrate into the Belgorod Region in the area of the settlement of Novaya Tavolzhanka in the Belgorod Region,” a Russian Ministry of Defense spokesman told Tass on Monday.
A day earlier, another anti-Putin Russian armed group, the Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC), claimed to have taken several Russian Army soldiers prisoner in another border raid in the region. The pro-Ukraine unit reached out to Belgorod oblast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov with an offer to return captured Russian soldiers as a goodwill gesture.
In return, the RVC asked for a private audience with the governor to discuss the present state of the region, as well as the future of Russia as a whole.
This is just the latest raid conducted by pro-Ukrainian, anti-Putin Russian volunteers. These raids could force the Kremlin to enhance its defenses along the border with Ukraine, spreading its forces even thinner in advance of an expected Ukrainian counteroffensive.
Russia’s New Tank Rearmament Plan
The news that Russia may have lost two more tanks this weekend comes as the Kremlin has been forced to deploy antiquated equipment to bolster its forces. Moscow has sent T-62 and even T-54/55 series tanks from the early Cold War to Ukraine. Russia has thousands of tanks in storage, and hundreds have been recently pressed into service.
On Monday, it was also reported that Russia may be seeking to re-import components to upgrade those older platforms. In an effort to avoid international sanctions, Moscow has turned to India and Myanmar to buy back military supplies that were previously shipped to those nations, according to Nikkei.
Legion “Freedom of Russia” showed how at night with the help of drones they destroyed 2 tanks, 1 BMP-3 and 1 BRDM in the Shebekino checkpoint area ???????? pic.twitter.com/3r2C87jkod
— MAKS 23 ???????????? (@Maks_NAFO_FELLA) June 5, 2023
It is unclear how the old tanks could be upgraded. Right now, T-62s and older vehicles are seen as little more than metal coffins, especially as Ukraine’s forces are being equipped with Western-made main battle tanks, including the German-made Leopard 2 and the British Challenger 2. Ukrainian crews are now training on the U.S.-made M1 Abrams.
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.
From 19FortyFive
Ukraine Footage Shows U.S. M982 ‘Excalibur’ Cut Through Russian Artillery
How To Sink A $3 Billion Dollar Submarine: Leave A Hatch Open
Smashed To Pieces: Video Shows Ukraine Hitting Russian Air Defenses
