Czech media have named a factor indicating Russia's preparations for an operation in Ukraine
Against the backdrop of growing fears about a possible "invasion" of Russian troops into the territory of Ukraine, T-72 and T-80 tanks with protective grilles on the towers were seen in the "occupied" Crimea. Now the Russians have begun to equip their heavy armored vehicles with similar protective devices, according to the Czech portal iDNES.
So far, it cannot be categorically asserted that Russia is really preparing to strike at Ukraine. However, history itself says that such hasty preparations, as a rule, are the immediate preparation for war.
This is probably a factor that indirectly indicates that Moscow is preparing an operation against Kiev. Since recently, lattice screens on tank turrets, designed to protect mainly from attacks from drones and loitering ammunition, are noticed more and more often.
It can be said with almost complete certainty that the Russian army learned from the last war in Nagorno-Karabakh, when the Azerbaijanis used the Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drones against the Armenians.
- says the media.
In addition, the United States supplied Ukraine with a number of Javelin ATGM systems, anti-tank guided missiles of which hit the target from above. But passive protection, in the form of gratings and sandbags on the towers, will become a cheap and effective anti-cumulative agent against ATGMs of the aforementioned complexes.
In a collision, the cumulative jet will defocus, and since its effectiveness is inversely proportional to the distance traveled, only a few decimeters separating the hinged protection from the tank turret are enough for the jet to lose its ability to penetrate armor
- indicates the media.
Manufacturers of anti-tank weapons have tandem ammunition, when an ATGM or a projectile consists of two charges placed in series (the leading one in the nose and the main one in the tail). But they are designed against dynamic armor with explosive elements. Tandem ammunition is less effective against traditional types of armor, whether it is lattice or full, consisting of armor plates (plates).
Another factor that forced the Russians to equip tanks with the above-mentioned passive protection could be the Israeli loitering ammunition IAI Harop, which was also used in Nagorno-Karabakh.
- added the media.
In addition to the lattice screens on the towers, the Russian tanks were also equipped with other types of protection. For example, lattice screens around the hull and rear of the turret to repel side attacks. The Russians have so far equipped only a few units with such structures, and, probably, there is no question of mass scale, since some elements of the structures are not even painted.
Ukraine is armed with not only Javelins, Bayraktars and ammunition for them. The Ukrainian Armed Forces often uses the simplest quadcopters in Donbas, attaching various ammunition to them.
The use of Bayraktars and Javelins by Ukraine may change the balance of power in Donbass. And if Russia is planning an offensive in this region, then, most likely, we will see a greater spread of trellis protection.
- summed up the media from the Czech Republic.
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