The “Achilles heel” of Russian tanks – Why damaged chariots often do not have a turret

Damaged Russian tanks without their turret are a common sight in the war in Ukraine, and this is not accidental, CNN reports.

Hundreds of Russian tanks are believed to have been destroyed since Moscow launched its offensive, with British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace estimating on Monday that it had lost up to 580 tanks.

The “Achilles heel” of Russian tanks

But Moscow’s problems outweigh the huge number of tanks it has lost on Ukrainian soil. Analysts note that images of the battlefield show that Russian tanks are suffering from a design flaw that Western armies have known for decades and Moscow has neglected to address.

The problem is with him storage mode of tank ammunition. Unlike modern western tanks, Russian tanks have multiple shells in their turrets.

This makes them extremely vulnerable, as even a non-key blow can trigger a chain reaction that can explode their entire stockpile of ammunition, containing up to 40 shells.

The resulting shock wave may be enough to blow up the tank turret at the height of a two-story building. “What we’re seeing in Russian tanks is a design flaw,” said Sam Benedett, a consultant for the CNA Russia Analysis Program and a fellow at the Center for New American Security.

“Any successful blow … quickly ignites ammunition, causing a huge explosion and the turret erupts “.

The defect means the tank crew – usually two men in the turret and a third driver – are virtually unprotected, said Nicholas Drummond, a defense analyst specializing in ground warfare and a former British Army officer. “If you do not go out within the first second, you are lost,” he said.

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