The main battle tank of Russia, the T-90M, which the Kremlin touts as "the best in the world," has proven to be far less powerful than claimed. Its vulnerabilities became apparent during the war in Ukraine, where it has repeatedly fallen victim to drone attacks and modern anti-tank weapons. TSN reports this, as noted by Kontrakty.UA.
Analyst Isaac Seitz discusses this in a article for 19FortyFive.
According to him, the T-90M has serious design flaws that render it vulnerable in modern warfare.
"While this tank is cheaper to produce than its Western counterparts, its combat capabilities raise questions about its long-term viability in conditions of intense conflict," the analyst stated.
One of the main issues with the T-90M, he notes, is its outdated automatic loading system, which operates on a carousel principle. This means that the ammunition is stored directly beneath the crew, increasing the risk of shell detonation upon impact.
"Any hit from the side or above, such as from Javelin or NLAW missiles, has a high probability of causing an ammunition explosion, which could instantly destroy the entire crew," Seitz explains.
Another weakness he identifies is the low resilience of the T-90M to kamikaze drone attacks. Ukrainian FPV drones effectively destroy these tanks, proving that they are not the "invincible machines" claimed in Moscow.
"Although Russia has stated that the T-90M surpasses the American M1 Abrams and the German Leopard 2, the RF has already lost a significant number of these tanks in the war against Ukraine," the analyst concluded.
Recall that fighters from the 106th Battalion of the 63rd Mechanized Brigade captured an enemy BMP-2 that had been submerged for two years.