Second copy spotted
Russians send improved “Turtle tank” into battle
April 16, 2024, 5:18 p.m
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To protect their attack columns from kamikaze drones, Russian troops in Donbass are covering their tanks with additional armor. After Ukrainian drones sighted the first example last week, an improved version of the “turtle tank” is now rolling into combat.
Last week, images emerged of a Russian T-72 main battle tank with additional protective cladding near the eastern Ukrainian town of Krasnohorivka. Because of its unusual appearance, the modified tracked vehicle was given the name “Turtle Tank” by media. Now another copy has apparently appeared in the area. As the pro-Ukrainian portal Defense Express reports, a drone spotted a “turtle tank” with an “improved design” near Krasnohorivka.
Compared to the first example, the “turtle tank” now spotted has a higher structure and a jamming device with eight patch antennas for drone defense on the roof. What both have in common is that the subsequently installed protective panel covers the rear and sides of the tank and even extends over half the length of the main cannon at the front.
Defense Express suspects that the higher structure could be used to accommodate infantrymen under the protective covering and thus transport them into the operational area. Based on the two sightings in the Krasnohorivka area, the two “turtle tanks” could have been made in the same workshop.
More “turtle tanks” soon at the front?
Western military experts believe the modifications were made to protect the tanks from kamikaze drones. However, Forbes magazine believes that the extra armor is not particularly effective because Ukrainian drone pilots can maneuver their drones so precisely that they explode beneath the roof-like armor. A major disadvantage of the “turtle tank” is the limited mobility of the main cannon, as the turret can no longer be rotated due to the roof construction. In addition, the additional weight is likely to have a negative impact on mobility.
However, Defense Express expects more “turtle tanks” to appear on the front lines in the future, as the prototype served its purpose at its baptism of fire last week. Accordingly, the Russian vehicle column managed to reach the Ukrainian positions, unload infantrymen and then turn around.
Incidentally, the first “turtle tank” is said to have been destroyed in an artillery attack just a few days after it was sighted. As Defense Express reports, the Ukrainians were able to use video footage to locate the vehicle’s hangar and then fire on it.