Ukraine's Killer Drones Just Hit A Wall—Russia's Souped-Up Turtle Tanks
Despite heavy losses, the Russians have a plan—and it may be working
The Kremlin spent much of this year to stockpiling and adding protection to tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and other armor. And then, in early October, these vehicles attacked.
First, they attacked in the east around Pokrovsk and in the south around Mala Tokmachka. Then, on Thursday, they rolled out along a third front—near Siversk in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast.
It was a costly failure. But the next mechanized assault on Siversk might work.
Russian regiments and brigades east of Siversk, possibly including the 6th and 7th Motor Rifle Regiments, mustered a large for the daytime attack, including: a tank, three IFVs, three all-terrain vehicles and around 20 motorcycles.
The up-armored “turtle tank,” wrapped in a metal shell of add-on anti-drone armor, led the way—and the similarly up-armored IFVs trailed behind. The tank, fitted with a front-mounted mine-roller, safely detonated several mines and shrugged off more than a few explosive first-person-view drones as it rolled west.
But more drones were waiting. After absorbing dozens of explosions, the tank finally succumbed to an FPV drone that apparently struck its engine compartment, disabling it. The crew bailed out of the burning vehicle, only to fall victim to yet another drone that struck from above.
After repeated attacks, the Russians managed to land infantry in Mala Tokmachka. They’ve tried several times to get a few tanks and IFVs across the no-man’s-land and drop off infantry in the village of Shakhove, which anchors Ukrainian defenses northeast of Pokrovsk.
Letting the infantry attack on bikes or on foot for much of 2025, the Kremlin managed to save up hundreds, if not thousands, of heavy vehicles. It has enough armor in reserve to keep up the mechanized pressure in several directions.
Russian equipment burned all across the sector. The Ukrainian 54th Mechanized Brigade and 81st Air Assault Brigade claimed they destroyed every single attacking vehicle.
While it’s possible a few Russian infantry dismounted and went to ground in the tree line, the assault almost certainly didn’t budge the front line.
Yet. If the Russian mech assaults around Mala Tokmachka and Pokrovsk are any indication, further mech assaults are likely around Siversk.
Read the rest at Euromaidan Press.
For all that added armor, they are still vulnerable to attack by artillery, heavy mortars, mines, anti-tank missiles, rockets, etc. Not to mention they cannot move very fast.
Once the really cold weather starts, infantry attacks will be much harder and sustaining any force in exposed and isolated positions will be really awful, particularly if there is any wind. Drones will not be the only things immobilized.
Command detonated 250 pound HE should do the trick. Once a turtle has been flipped on it's back...well, that then would be it's fate.