Latest T‑90M tanks sighted near NATO borders by Ukrainian partisans
The Ukrainian partisan group Atesz spotted the transportation of the latest Russian T-90M Proryv tanks in St. Petersburg. This is an unusual observation in this location—especially considering that St. Petersburg is closer to NATO borders in Estonia than to the front in Ukraine.
The Atesz partisan group has frequently published valuable information about Russian movements for Ukrainians. Recently, the resistance movement uncovered the Pantsir-S1 air defence system guarding Putin's residence in Sochi. At another time, the Atesz group reported on the increasing problems of the defence industry in the Russian Federation, which were said to result from severe sanctions imposed by the West.
Transport of additional T-90M tanks in Russia
Now, the partisans report a valuable transport for the Russians of T-90M Proryv tanks spotted in St. Petersburg, about 150 kilometres from the nearest border with Estonia and Finland. The footage shows a column of at least 10 vehicles belonging to the Russians.
The most notable aspect, however, is the location where the latest machines were seen. After all, St. Petersburg is not an area actively participating in the war in Ukraine—it is relatively far from the border with the defending nation. In a straight line, it is over 800 kilometres.
However, the Atesz movement indicates that the T-90M Proryv tanks were transported from Siertołowo, a town a few kilometres from St. Petersburg. There is a training ground where the Russian Federation trains new soldiers.
"Another batch of Russian armoured vehicles will soon turn into a pile of rusty scrap, as it has before," writes a representative of the Atesz group on the X platform. The tanks were, therefore, used for training near St. Petersburg, from where they are likely to be sent along with new crews to the front soon.
Let us remind you that the T-90M Proryv tanks mentioned are tanks that the Russian Federation's army has been using since 2021. They are the latest representatives of the T-90 family, which appeared in service at the beginning of the 1990s.
These units, referred to as "Putin's pride," use a 125 mm 2A46M-5 cannon with an updated fire control system compared to their predecessors. The crew also has two machine guns, one 7.62 mm and another 12.7 mm.
The T-90 M Proryv's defensive capabilities are provided by the Relikt reactive armour, while mobility is guaranteed by a power unit generating 1,000 HP, which accelerates this structure to a speed of about 65 kilometres per hour. The cost of a single T-90M Proryv is estimated at around $4.5 million.
