The Russian army is transforming armored vehicles into “turtle tanks.” The reason: protect yourself from Ukrainian drones

The Russian invasion of Ukraine is one step away from turning two years and three months old. During this time we have seen how drones They have become a key piece of the conflict. Armed forces responding to Kyiv have deployed unmanned aerial vehicles on an unprecedented scale.

Although Ukraine has advanced drones, such as “kamikaze”, approximately $400 vehicles are what seem to be making a difference on the ground. Foreign Policy points out that this type of affordable asset is behind the destruction of two-thirds of the Russian tanks hit.

Turtle tanks on scene

Part of Moscow’s response to this scenario has been to update its tanks with a series of additions so rudimentary. Images shared by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine They show what they call “turtle tanks,” which are presumably armored T-72 shells.

We are talking about armored vehicles that move with a huge metal cage that protects the weakest parts of the hull and turret from enemy drones. But why did Russia have to do this? Let’s see how attacks work with these cheap drones that can be a nightmare.

Ukrainian forces launch their attacks with commercial FPV-type drones, that is, they allow operators to have a immersive view in first person. These unmanned vehicles can carry different types of explosive warheads and generally crash into their targets.

These drones take off several kilometers from the destination and are controlled by operators who also rely on reconnaissance drones. Once they detect a target, for example a tank. They launch themselves against its most vulnerable parts, such as the hatch or the turret to explode its ammunition.

As we can see, turtle tanks seek to be less vulnerable to the wave of drone attacks emerging from the ukrainian side in the middle of a alleged decrease in the existence of artillery. However, they do not offer effective protection against the enormous number of mines deployed in the conflict zone.

It should be noted that Russia also operates long-range military drones as well as smaller cheap drones. Soldiers are believed to launch attacks with Iranian-designed Shahed 136s, Orlan-10 and the Lancet-3 of Russian origin, as well as with commercial drones converted into attack drones.

Images | Ministry of Defense of Ukraine

In Xataka | In the middle of the war with Ukraine, Russia has decided to teach a new subject in its schools: combat drone management