Russia turned tanks into `mobile fortresses` on the front lines

(Dan Tri) – Images from the battlefield show that Russia continues to improve and upgrade `turtle shell` tanks, turning the weapon into a steel fortress to prevent Ukrainian UAVs.

Russia turned the T-72 tank into a `mobile fortress` on the front line (Photo: Forbes).

In early April, Ukrainian soldiers discovered outside Krasnohorivka, west of Donetsk, a Russian T-72 tank with a metal roof covering the body and turret, looking like a `turtle shell`.

Since then, Russia has added additional features to this special `turtle shell`, such as a suicide UAV jamming system.

Now, Russia continues to add another layer of protection to the plain metal armor, looking like an iron mesh.

Although `turtle shell` tanks are getting bigger and more strange looking, according to Forbes, they are very effective on the battlefield.

In addition to the armor protecting the front of the UAV, they are also equipped with mine detection rollers in the front.

According to a Ukrainian Telegram channel, initially, the Russian `turtle shell` tank became the subject of ridicule because of its strange shape and somewhat patchwork, handmade, but its performance on the battlefield was disappointing.

`Ukraine spent a lot of UAVs rushing into the tank,` the source said.

However, according to Forbes, although the `turtle shell` tank is considered a Russian improvement to adapt to battlefields dense with UAVs, it is still vulnerable, especially against artillery and anti-tank missiles.

The fact that these tanks have remained effective in combat in recent times is because Ukraine has run out of artillery shells and missiles to stop them.

Weapons historian Matthew Moss explains: `The turtle-shell tank’s twice as thick armor could protect them from FPV drones weighing nearly 1kg, each containing 0.5kg of explosives. But this armor

According to him, the `turtle shell` armor can hardly withstand the Javelin anti-tank missile with a warhead containing 10kg of explosives and the ability to penetrate armor.

In addition, according to Forbes, `turtle shell` tanks also have the disadvantage of moving quite slowly due to their weight and the crew’s vision being affected by the outer armor layers.

However, at the present time, this is still considered an effective weapon for Russia to achieve continuous progress on the Eastern battlefield.

Drones are considered `tank killers` emerging on the battlefield in Ukraine recently.