Russia Sent a Massive Tank Column. Ukraine Left 9 Tanks and 3 BM-21 Rocket Launchers Burning

Ukraine’s Defense Forces broke up one of Russia’s largest recent attempts at a massed tank breakthrough in the Dobropillia direction, destroying nine tanks, two armored vehicles, and three BM-21 Grad rocket launchers, according to ArmyInform, citing Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service on July 24.

The service released combat footage showing Russian armored vehicles being struck across fields and tree lines in the Donetsk region.

“Russian forces carried out one of their largest attempts at a tank breakthrough in recent months,” the agency said. “Border guards from the Phoenix unit, working together with neighboring units, disrupted the enemy assault.”

Ukraine said the operation also killed or wounded several dozen Russian troops.

“All that armored ‘greatness’ was left burning among the fields and tree lines of Donetsk region,” the Border Guard Service said.

According to OSINT analysts, footage from the engagement appears to show that some of the Russian T-72B3 Model 2022 tanks were fitted with the Arena-M active protection system, although it remains unclear how many vehicles carried it.

Arena-M is intended to detect and intercept incoming anti-tank weapons and has reportedly been modified in an attempt to counter FPV drones. Its presence, however, did not prevent the Ukrainian units from stopping the armored assault.

The three destroyed BM-21 Grad systems represented additional heavy firepower that Russia could have used to support the advance.

The Grad is one of the world’s most widely deployed multiple-launch rocket systems. Mounted on a Ural-4320 truck, it carries 40 tubes for 122mm rockets and can fire a complete salvo in roughly 20 seconds, covering an area of up to 14.5 hectares.

Depending on the ammunition, the Grad can strike targets up to 40 kilometers, or about 25 miles, away. Its crew can leave the firing position within approximately one minute after launching a salvo.

Earlier, Ukraine’s Phoenix unmanned systems unit destroyed a Russian Buk-M3 air defense system with a single low-cost drone while the launcher was moving through the Donetsk region.

Footage released by the service shows the Russian system being struck while traveling toward the front. Ukrainian officials said one drone costing only several thousand dollars was enough to eliminate an air defense asset valued at roughly $50 million.

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