Vladimir Putin has finally deployed his ‘Terminator’ military vehicles in battle in Ukraine as Kyiv continues to obliterate invading Russian tanks with the help of British missiles.
Video shows the much-vaunted armoured vehicles, which are designed to support infantry units fighting in urban areas, in the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine.
The deployment of the BMPT Terminator comes as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has taken a heavy toll on Putin’s main army tanks – the T-90M tank – after Ukrainian troops continue to obliterate them with rockets.
Ukraine said this week its armed forces had destroyed Russian tanks deep behind enemy lines in the Donbas region using British-made Brimstone missiles for the first time.
Video shows the much-vaunted armoured vehicles, which are designed to support infantry units fighting in urban areas, in the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine
Russian Tank Support Combat Vehicle BMPT ‘Terminator’ before Red Square Victory Day’s parade
The deployment of the BMPT Terminator comes as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has taken a heavy toll on Putin’s main army tanks – the T-90M tank – after Ukrainian troops continue to obliterate them with rockets. Pictured: A Ukrainian serviceman walks next to a destroyed Russian main battle tank T-90M Proryv, in Staryi Saltiv in the Kharkiv region on May 9
In an effort to bolster their arsenal, a platoon of Terminator military vehicles were deployed and used for the first time in battle in the Donbas.
The BMPTs – or tank support combat vehicles as they are designated – were seen near Severodonetsk in Luhansk region.
‘They are involved in the fire destruction of Ukrainian positions, armoured vehicles, and crews of anti-tank missile systems,’ a defence source told state news agency RIA Novosti.
It is equipped with grenade launchers, anti-tank systems and small arms, and was nicknamed Terminator by its manufacturers Uralvagonzavod.
The Terminator saw action in Syria and was initially moved to the Ukrainian border in February.
It is unclear why Putin’s generals have delayed its deployment until now.
One theory is that his beleaguered commanders do not trust it to be as all-conquering as its name suggests.
Russian Tank Support Combat Vehicle BMPT Terminator filmed undergoing trials before deployment in Ukraine
The BMPT is equipped with grenade launchers, anti-tank systems and small arms, and was nicknamed Terminator by its manufacturers Uralvagonzavod
Russian war reporter Alexander Sladkov posted: ‘Thank God we are starting to use Terminators.
‘There might be issues and mistakes, but practice is everything.’
A video shows the Terminator during trials, and it has been showcased at Victory Day parades in Red Square
Meanwhile the T-90 is Russia’s most-advanced tank, with the base model entering service in 1992 though production only ramped up in the late 2000s.
The £4million T-90M is the latest version of the tank, and entered service in 2016.
Russia is thought to field around 1,000 of all T-90 variants, compared to around 5,000 T-72s – the tank the T-90 is based on and which has done the bulk of the fighting in Ukraine.
The T-90 is supposed to be one of the best tanks in the world, and has upgraded armour and missile protection systems compared to the T-72 which make it harder to destroy – at least in theory.
But last week, drone footage showed a T-90M Russian tank being taken out by an £18,000 Swedish rocket launcher north of Kharkiv.
Footage released by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence shows the moment a Russian T-90M tank – a £4million latest-generation war machine – was blown up near Kharkiv
Ukraine claims its territorial defence troops destroyed the tank using a Swedish-made Carl Gustaf rocket launcher that costs just £18,000
Drone footage issued by Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence showed the T-90M exploding, which they say happened after a hit with a Carl Gustaf recoilless rifle.
The ‘rifle’ is actually a Swedish-made rocket launcher that costs around £18,500, including the rocket.
More footage of the wreck suggests the rocket evaded the T-90’s advanced armour and defence systems by smashing through one of the wheels.
It then exploded inside the engine compartment, appearing to detonate ammunition along the way which produced a large blast – bending its armour plating outwards.
Drone footage shared by a Ukrainian combat instructor also appears to show Kyiv’s forces using Brimstone missiles to destroy Russian tanks deep behind enemy lines.
The footage shows two missiles strike military vehicles in quick succession, sending debris flying into the air.
The weapon has been adapted to be fired from small vehicles on the Ukrainian battlefield rather than used from warplanes, drones of naval ships – as designed.
In the footage shared by Pavlo Kashchuk yesterday, two missiles were fired from a tractor before two struck a convoy of military vehicles believed to be in the Donbas region.
Pavlo wrote: ‘They say the Orcs are in a little panic. Tanks get their turrets torn down even in the rear.
‘There are already rumours about new ghost planes from NATO, but wait, it’s just good old Brimstones in the skilful hands of operators of the Special Operations Forces and a little bit of military trickery.’
Pictured: Drone footage captured the moment Ukraine forces used British-made Brimstone missiles to destroy two Russian tanks almost simultaneously deep behind enemy lines
It is believed this is the first time the missiles have been fired from the ground in live combat, with earlier footage showing Ukraine forces training with the hi-tech weapons.
The operation was reportedly carried out by special forces who had been trained to use the newly designed weapon.
The £175,000 Brimstone came into service in 2005, with an updated version supplied to the RAF six years ago.
As a ‘fire and forget’ missile, it strikes its target after being launched – without further intervention – using laser-seeking guidance or autonomous targeting.
The weapon is being used by the United Kingdom’s RAF, a well as the air forces of Germany and Saudi Arabia. Qatar is also set to use the weapon in the future.
Like several western nations, the UK has supplied Ukraine with military support since President Putin launched his invasion on February 24.
In recent days, the UK confirmed £1.3billion in extra military funding towards Ukraine’s defensive operations, on top of the existing £1.5 billion of support already given – which included humanitarian and military aid.
Britain has supplied Ukraine with armoured vehicles, anti-tanks missiles, air defence systems and munitions – along with helmets, body armour and night vision goggles.
Ukrainian armed forces have utilised hand-held anti-tank missile launchers, as well as other modern equipment such as drones, to great effect, punching well above their weight against a Russian army that is the fifth largest in the world.
Despite many commentators expecting Ukraine’s forces to be overrun in the early days of the invasion, Kyiv’s soldiers have been able to destroy thousands of Russian military vehicles. Moscow has lost an estimated 27,000 soldiers.
Modern equipment has allowed Ukraine’s soldiers to be more manoeuvrable than their Russian foes, who have been caught out using Soviet-era tactics. Several videos have shown scores of Russian vehicles being destroyed in ambushes.