The New York Times (NYT) reported on the 1st (local time) that a fierce tank battle broke out between Ukrainian and Russian forces over Vuhledar, a major stronghold in eastern Ukraine.
Ukrainian officials said on a plain near the small coal-mining town of Buledar, the two sides fought one of the largest tank battles so far in three weeks, which left the Russians devastated.
In fact, the charred hulls of Russian tanks blown up by mines or destroyed by shells and anti-tank missiles are scattered all over farmhouses near Buledar, captured in a video filmed by a Ukrainian drone. Ukrainian forces claim that Russian forces lost at least 130 tanks and armored vehicles in the Battle of Buledar.
The reason for this defeat is the lack of professionalism of the Russian military. Many of the Russian army’s most elite units suffered heavy losses in the early stages of the war. The vacancy was filled by newly recruited soldiers, who were not fully trained in Ukrainian ambush tactics. Skilled commanders capable of operating the tanks also proved to be in short supply. Recently, Ukrainian forces said they had captured a Russian Army medic who had been redeployed to a tank operation.
For the Russian army, the tank is also a symbol that recalls the past of victory once morest the Nazis during World War II. Indeed, Russia has been emphasizing tank warfare for decades and ramping up tank production. However, in the recent battle of Buledar, the Russian army lost a huge amount of tanks and is relying on infantry-oriented tactics, according to Ukraine.
The defeat has been criticized by military bloggers in Russia who strongly support the invasion of Ukraine. They pointed out the judgment of the Russian military and posted angry articles regarding the defeat in the tank battle.
In an interview, Lieutenant Vladislav Bayak, deputy commander of the 1st Mechanized Battalion, 72nd Brigade of the Ukrainian Army, cited ambush tactics as a way Ukraine was able to deal with Russian tanks. Armed with US-supplied infrared-guided Javelins and Stugna-P anti-tank missiles, Ukrainian forces lay ambushes and lay mines.
Later, when a Russian tank gets caught in a trap, it tries to turn quickly to avoid an ambush. At this point Ukrainian artillery opens fire, blowing up more tanks and killing Russian soldiers emerging from the tanks.
In this way, in regarding three weeks of tank battles, the Russian army’s repeated armored attacks were repulsed. In addition to ambush tactics, the Ukrainian military also used the US’s HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery and Rocket System) targeting the Russian tank formations to great effect. In addition, Ukrainian forces also used the American M777 and the French Cesar howitzer.
Ukrainian tank soldiers interviewed by the New York Times said they hid their tanks with camouflage nets and tree branches and waited for the enemy. Private First Class Dmitro Grebenok, who took part in the Battle of Buledar, was only 20 years old this year. When the war began, he had no formal training in tank warfare. Nonetheless, he said, “I got all my knowledge on the spot.”
Ukrainian tank crews keep the engines of the ambushed tanks warm, wait for the enemy, and then attack the Russians in cooperation with drones calling coordinates by radio. “We destroyed a lot of Russian equipment,” said PFC Grebenok. “What they did wrong was the fact that they came to Ukraine.”
(Seoul = News 1)
