Ukraine's defenders capture Putin's pride: The fall of the T‑90M tank

Ukrainian troops repelled one of the Russian attacks near Terni in the Donetsk region. As a result, the invaders lost an entire column of equipment, including the T-90M, the best tank used in this war. We provide a closer look at its equipment and capabilities.

From reports and information published on social media, the successful defense seems to be due to the efforts of the 63rd and 60th Separate Mechanized Brigades of the Ukrainian army. With the help of artillery and several UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), they destroyed multiple Russian vehicles.

Shared photos and footage allowed observers in Ukraine to estimate that the defenders captured at least five Russian infantry fighting vehicles from the BMP family and about the same number of tanks used in this assault. Among these were T-72B3 and T-90M, referred to as "Putin's pride".

During a visit to one of the armament factories in February this year, Vladimir Putin stated that the T-90M "is the best tank in the world". It is important to note that this is the latest model of the T-90 family, which started production in 1992. Structurally, they represent a significant modernization of the T-72 tanks. In the case of the T-90M, it truly is an advanced design that is the most formidable tank currently in the Russian army's possession.

Compared to older, often post-Soviet machines, the T-90M offers improved offensive capabilities, for which a 125 mm 2A46M-5 cannon with an enhanced fire control system featuring French thermal imaging is responsible. Additionally, the crew of this tank has at their disposal two machine guns - a 7.62 mm and a 12.7 mm. The design is reinforced with Relikt reactive armour modules intended to enhance the safety of the turret and hull. The T-90M can accelerate up to about 65 km/h (approximately 40 mph) on a paved surface.

The war in Ukraine, however, has shown that the T-90M may not live up to the high praise it receives from the Russians. The defending army has managed to destroy several of these machines, and based on the examination of captured specimens, it was even determined that the T-90M is "a failure rather than a breakthrough". Among its drawbacks, the tank has been found to have an engine weaker than official specifications suggest, microelectronics vulnerable to damage, and difficulties in radio communication.