‘Fireworks Don't Stop Shining’: Ukrainian Paratroopers Reportedly Destroy Several Russian Tanks-Braziers

Ukrainian paratroopers from the 46th Brigade of the Airborne Assault Troops have reportedly destroyed three Russian tanks with welded roofs, known as “brazier tanks,” according to the troops’ report on Telegram.

The report indicates that a batch of Russian military vehicles was destroyed in the Kurakhivsky sector of the Donetsk region.

“Fireworks from destroyed enemy armored vehicles on the land of the Ukrainian Donbas do not stop shining,” the message read. “Long-term observation, careful escort, hitting, explosion - these are the components of the successful work of the UAV operators of our brigade.”

A video from the drone camera shows several successful drone hits on Russian armored vehicles. Kyiv Post could not independently verify the place and time of the video shooting.

In a conversation with Kyiv Post, a Ukrainian aerial scout commented that the video showcased the destruction of three brazier tanks equipped with deminers.

“Such tanks are used before assaults, they trample the path of other armored vehicles,” he said, adding that T-72 tanks were probably affected.

The value of an older Soviet T-72 can be nearly half a million dollars. The cost of a new T-72 tank ranges from $3-4 million, depending on the configuration.

The military officer also added that Ukrainian paratroopers hit the last tank with a drone carrying a cumulative projectile, and then artillery fired at the tank three times.

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The aerial scout clarified that the so-called brazier tanks are tanks with a protective mesh fence mainly above the tower.

They are similar to the “barn tanks,” also called “turtles,” or even “blyat-mobiles” after the common vulgarity used in Russian as a filler word (much like the English f-word). But in the latter, the protective fence is usually made of metal sheets and mainly along the contour.

“There, tankers are often ‘roasted’ after being hit – that’s why it’s called ‘brazier,’” the aerial scout told Kyiv Post.

Recently, reports have become more frequent that Russian troops are using tanks with welded roofs, called “brazier tanks,” in the war against Ukraine. The Officer+ Ukrainian Telegram channel shared a comment by the commander of one of the Ukrainian Defense Forces tank units, who spoke about the pros and cons of such an invention by the Russians.

According to him, it is impossible to service the tank-brazier without welding equipment. Absolutely any breakdown, even minimal, will stop the operation of the tank. The commander called it a “one-trip tank” and added that one of the serious shortcomings is the problem with loading and unloading the combat kit.

The military emphasized that he is skeptical about the possibility of long-term use of “braziers.”

“The impossibility of maintenance, maneuverability... It is impossible to refuel it normally. As soon as all the fuel comes out, it will stop,” he added.

However, despite its primitiveness, such an invention can cause a lot of harm to Ukrainian forces under direct targeting.