by Andrey Kots
[RIA] Soviet military theorists of the 1930s said, "Tanks don't fight tanks." It was assumed that the task of heavy armored vehicles with powerful guns was exclusively to support infantry, destroy field fortifications and personnel. But time has shown that everything is different. These are now "universal soldiers" capable of performing any combat mission. About the work of the tankmen of the 1st Army Corps of the DPR army - in the report of RIA Novosti.
"DO NOT SHOOT THE AREA"
The Kyiv region in the north-west of Donetsk is being shelled by Ukrainian artillery with particular ferocity. It is closest to Avdievka and Pesky, settlements where the Armed Forces of Ukraine have set up a powerful fortified area and concentrated a serious combined-arms group.
From here to the front - just a couple of kilometers. There is a rattle of submachine guns and machine guns, the howl of mortar mines, a short staccato of automatic grenade launchers. And the tankers hit the enemy positions with direct fire.
We slow down at the headquarters of the tank battalion of the 1st Slavic Brigade, carefully disguised in green. The military sternly warn: shoot equipment only "big" so that buildings, lampposts, fences do not get into the frame - any elements of the landscape by which you can "copy" the position. It is no secret that Ukrainian intelligence is actively monitoring Russian media and social networks. And there have already been cases when the Donetsk military "arrived" because of the carelessness of photojournalists and videographers.
For the same reason, the tankers agree to give interviews only in balaclavas - many of them have relatives left in the territories of Donbass controlled by Kyiv.
“Although Donetsk has been pouring with rain for several days, the fighting does not stop,” says the deputy commander of the tank battalion.
"Just yesterday we were counterattacked. We were met with fire, the infantry joined in, they hit them in the teeth. On the whole, we are moving forward, slowly but surely. The goal is to push the VSE troops away from Donetsk so that shelling of peaceful areas will stop."
DANGEROUS "STUGNA"
According to the officer, they have already managed to break into the first line of defense in the Avdiivka direction. Soldiers of the 1st brigade took trophies. The deputy battalion commander demonstrates the American M67 offensive grenade - the Pentagon sent several thousand of these. In addition, the infantry captured several Western ATGMs and an Mk40 automatic heavy grenade launcher. "Not enough, of course, but thanks to our foreign suppliers," the officer grins.
Western weapons are highly valued by the military, but the same ATGMs at the front have become much less than a few months ago. At the same time, according to the tankers, the Ukrainian Stugna is much more dangerous than the American Javelins and the British NLAW. The operator controls this complex remotely, from a remote control, he does not need to be directly near the installation. And the armor penetration is enough to destroy the tank.
"This causes a lot of trouble," admits the deputy battalion commander.
"But Ukrainians are extremely reluctant to enter tank duels. They are more used to hitting from afar, stealthily. Their tanks are good, with Western electronics, modern radio stations. I can only remember one episode. Their "sixty-fours" (T-64. - Ed.) flew into the position of our tank.
Apparently, the crew was frightened of their own courage and did not open fire."
TANK CAROUSEL
Tanks operate on the principle of a carousel. From a camouflaged shelter, invisible to the air reconnaissance of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the vehicle drives at full speed to the firing line. Fires four or five shots and returns to its original position at full speed. Immediately after that, another tank comes into action, from a different position. Exit to the line, short work, retreat. The meaning of this tactic is a constant fire impact from different points, without being exposed to retaliatory fire.
"Their own equipment helps us to accurately hit targets," explains the tank commander with the call sign Chuta.
"Our T-64 is captured, they took it back in the spring in the Zaporozhye direction. The car is good, it doesn’t fail. An excellent western thermal imager, we can even see the enemy for many kilometers at night. We mainly work with high-explosive fragmentation. This is the most effective projectile against fortifications. We don’t even take armor-piercing ones with us. Quadcopters help a lot - they correct the fire."
In the spring, he had another tank - they knocked out in the Avdeevsky direction. The driver died, Chuta was wounded in the head. He was treated in the hospital for a long time and returned to the front - "more motivated."
The other day, the commander of a tank platoon, Arsen, was nominated for the title of "Hero of the DPR". From Ramenskoye near Moscow, a lawyer by education. I came to Donbass in 2019 as a volunteer. A few weeks ago, his unit was ordered to occupy a key height near Donetsk, from which the droneunits corrected their fire. The T-72 was equipped with a minesweeper and moved in the forefront, shooting anti-tank "surprises".
The car was hit several times, the turret jammed. But the tank did not leave the battle, continuing to pave the way for the infantry. The height was occupied with minimal losses. Colleagues say: if not for Arsen, the attack would have bogged down. Assault groups would simply be interrupted by artillery. The observation post at the dominant height allowed the DPR army to gain an advantage in a significant sector of the front.
At the same time, he is one of many Donetsk servicemen who joined the army without military service experience. The skills acquired in the military sports club near Moscow helped. And here for three years he didn’t get out of the training grounds, until he mastered the T-72 to perfection.
He received his baptism of fire in the Mariupol direction. His platoon stormed Granite. He admits: "It was scary."
Now there are no such emotions - only calm self-confidence. Saying goodbye to journalists, Arsen leaves for his unit, casually throwing in the end: "Be there, guys, I'm at work."