Cheap Ukrainian drones prevent Russia's expensive newest T-90M tanks from moving on the battlefield

Ukrainian soldiers often use FPV drones in the war against the occupiers . These compact and inexpensive UAVs have proven effective even against the newest Russian T-90M Proryv tanks, writes Forbes.

The publication recalled that in June 2024, the Chief of Staff of the French Army, General Pierre Schill, said that the success of FPV drones in the war in Ukraine was only a "moment in history." According to him, these drones will soon prove ineffective in the fight against Russian equipment.

Journalists noted that the Russians have repeatedly stated that their newest T-90M tank has undergone several upgrades to protect against various threats, including FPV drones. In addition, the occupiers have more devices for detecting and jamming FPV communications.

In such conditions, FPV drones should become ineffective, but they still help destroy enemy equipment, the publication emphasized.

Analysts from Oryx recorded 10 visually confirmed T-90M losses in the last quarter of 2024. This was confirmed by their colleagues from Warspotting, the publication added.
Journalists noted that five out of ten destroyed Russian tanks were destroyed by FPV drones. This is an even higher proportion of enemy equipment destroyed by such UAVs than in 2023.

A foreign soldier with the call sign "Kriegsforscher", who is fighting against Ukrainian marines, told journalists that on his section of the front, armored vehicles are stopped mainly by missiles and mines. FPV drones often finish off the vehicles, but these UAVs destroy only 10-15% of moving vehicles on their own.

What is interesting is that all 10 destroyed T-90Ms were not in defensive positions. The Ukrainian military stopped these tanks when the Russians were on the offensive and were probably outside the jammers' range.

The publication believes that this indicates that the Russians are only capable of jamming FPV communications in defense. In addition, the Ukrainian military has begun to use drones with fiber optics more often.

In addition, the modernized armor of the T-90M is still not capable of protecting the tank from destruction by FPV drones. The publication emphasized that, most likely, several UAVs will be required to eliminate the equipment, and not one, as before.

Journalists also reminded that Western tanks are not protected from FPV drones. Ukrainian military recently had to destroy an American M1 Abrams to prevent it from falling into the hands of the Russian Federation by this very UAV.

The publication stated that FPV drones will likely dominate tank-killing in the war in Ukraine. If the Ukrainian military can make them resistant to Russian blocking, they will become an even more formidable weapon.