STORY: This is what the Ukrainian army is calling a “barn” tank.
It’s a bizarre-looking Russian battlefield vehicle, captured by Kyiv’s forces.
And it seems to highlight how troops are trying to adapt to the constant threat of drone attacks.
The vehicle, built from a ramshackle, rusted T-62 tank, was modified to have a boxy metal shell as its exterior, a cage at its rear and electronic warfare devices attached to it.
That’s according to soldiers who spoke to Reuters after it was captured this week.
Its canopy appeared to be built to protect against drones, particularly cheaply produced First-Person-View ones.
Those are strapped with a munition and flown to their target by a pilot watching on a screen.
Dmytro is a Ukrainian soldier.
“I don’t even know what it (‘barn’ tank) is made of. But the tracks are protected. A shell that hit it bent it a bit. But this protection is helpful it prevents shells from going under and it protects the tracks. It does give the crew an advantage for a certain, short period of time.”
Soldiers say the “barn” tank’s main purpose was shuttling around food, ammunition and troops.
Dmytro added that getting in and out of the vehicle, carrying equipment through its tiny hatch, was difficult.
And that visibility was very limited and the stench inside overwhelming.
Aerial drone footage shot by the Ukrainian military and published on June 17 showed the tank being captured in a wooded area along with a Russian crew.
Kyiv’s forces then planted a Ukrainian flag on top of it.
Nearly 28 months since Russia launched its full-scale invasion, the use of drones by both sides has become ubiquitous on the battlefield – making it harder for both sides to advance or operate safely.
The Ukrainians say the vehicle was captured near Klishchiivka – a village gripped by months of fighting near the Russian-occupied city of Bakhmut.
Source Agencies
