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One Small Ukrainian Drone, One Big Explosion—Russian Tank Destroyed on Camera
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
A Ukrainian FPV drone destroyed a Russian tank during an attempted assault in the Novopavlivka direction, with the strike followed by a large secondary explosion, according to the Perun unmanned systems battalion of Ukraine’s 42nd Mechanized Brigade on March 31.
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According to the battalion, the operation was carried out by its drone operators, and footage of the strike was published on the unit’s official channel.
The video shows a Russian tank equipped with improvised anti-drone protection, commonly referred to as a “grill,” advancing toward Ukrainian positions. An FPV drone approached the vehicle from the front and struck it directly. Moments later, a powerful explosion occurred, likely caused by the detonation of the tank’s onboard ammunition.
In a statement accompanying the footage, the battalion said: “It’s been a while since we’ve seen something like this. Nuclear FPVs have arrived in the Novopavlivka direction! With them, our operators spectacularly destroyed a Russian tank. The turret with the grill was thrown off very effectively.”
The term used in the comment refers informally to the scale of the explosion rather than any specific weapons system.
Russian forces have increasingly deployed armored vehicles with additional structures intended to reduce vulnerability to drones. Ukrainian units, in turn, continue to rely on FPV drones as a cost-effective method to target such equipment on the battlefield.
The battalion also noted that one of its operators, known by the callsign “Chef,” previously worked in the culinary field before joining the military and now commands FPV drone crews.
Earlier, Ukrainian officials reported a rising number of cases in which Russian soldiers take their own lives on the battlefield after being wounded by drones or surrounded by multiple UAVs.
According to Ukraine’s Minister of Defense Mykhailo Fedorov on March 29, frontline units are receiving daily video evidence of such incidents, which he linked to constant drone pressure, limited evacuation options, and Russian policies discouraging surrender.
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