Russia Says T-90 Tanks Fired At Ukrainian Military Positions While Supporting Infantry Offensive

Russia has said that its T-90 tanks have fired at Ukrainian military positions while supporting an infantry offensive.

The footage shows Russian tanks manoeuvring into position before one of them can be seen repeatedly opening fire on unseen targets.

It can be seen using its main gun as well as its machine gun.

The images were obtained from the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Tuesday, 7th March, along with a statement claiming: “Tankers of the Western Military District provide fire support to our motorized riflemen, ensuring the offensive of Russian troops in the zone of the special operation.

“The crews of the T-90 tanks advanced to the front line of the enemy’s defence and delivered a powerful fire strike. First of all, the positions of anti-tank weapons and armoured vehicles of the enemy were destroyed.

“During combat work, the reconnaissance officer, correcting the firing of tanks, was subjected to mortar fire, but continued to correct. He was able to calculate and transmit to the tankers the coordinates of the guns from which the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine fired at him. As a result, the enemy battery was completely destroyed.

“In the zone of the special military operation, tankers often use flank fire on the move. This technique significantly increases the survivability of equipment on the battlefield.”

We have not been able to independently verify the claims or the footage.

Russian tanks fire at Ukrainian military positions as support for the offense of the troops in Ukraine in undated footage. The footage was released by the Russian MoD on Tuesday, 7, Mar. 2023. (@mod_russia/Newsflash )

Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February 2022 in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 377th day of the full-scale war.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February 2022 and 7th March 2023, Russia had lost about 154,830 personnel, 3,432 tanks, 6,714 armoured combat vehicles, 2,456 artillery units, 488 multiple launch rocket systems, 253 air defence systems, 303 warplanes, 289 helicopters, 2,095 drones, 873 cruise missiles, 18 warships, 5,323 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 236 units of special equipment.

Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that his country is committed to holding the contested city of Bakhmut despite being partially encircled by the Russians, saying that “no part of Ukraine” can “be abandoned”.

Both Ukraine and Russia are apparently struggling with an ammunition shortage, with Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the notorious Russian mercenary organisation Wagner, saying that his representative had been denied access to the headquarters of Russia’s invasion force after he repeatedly complained about an ammunition shortage.

Sergei Shoigu, the Russian Defence Minister, has visited Mariupol to inspect “Russian reconstruction efforts of infrastructure”.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the exiled Belarusian opposition leader, has been sentenced to 15 years in jail after being convicted in absentia for “conspiracy to seize power” and treason.

Russian tanks fire at Ukrainian military positions as support for the offense of the troops in Ukraine in undated footage. The footage was released by the Russian MoD on Tuesday, 7, Mar. 2023. (@mod_russia/Newsflash )

Tsikhanouskaya said that the verdict was punishment for trying to promote democracy.

The UK Ministry of Defence has said that there is a “realistic possibility” that Russia is going to re-equip its tank force with T-62s, first used in 1954, in a bid to make up for a shortfall in armour.

The tanks are reportedly destined for units that had been waiting for next-generation T-14 Armata main battle tanks.