A Russian tank, known for its diverse capabilities, has puzzled Ukrainians since April when it entered the battlefield in eastern Ukraine. It is not the type of tank Ukrainians have been accustomed to since the war began over two years ago, but rather a tank covered in a metal shell and filled with electronics. Initially, the new vehicle, dubbed the "Turtle Tank," featured only a metal casing for protection against drones, but it has since been developed to provide defense against electronic warfare.
#### What Do We Know About It?
After 26 months of war, both Russian and Ukrainian forces are struggling to come up with new offensive weapons to gain the upper hand in battle, leading to the emergence of the "Turtle Tank" as a testing ground for new tactics and technologies, according to a report by the British "Telegraph." Among its various strengths, it offers defenses against munitions and drones, and is also capable of conducting electronic penetrations or jamming as part of a ground attack.
In its current form, the tank is large and massive, but all of its capabilities are being tested and may later appear in a more compact form in future armored vehicles, or in unmanned ground vehicles, or a combination of both.
#### A Cat and Mouse Game
This leads to a cat and mouse scenario where Ukraine is attempting to keep pace and find ways to immobilize and destroy these vehicles. Notably, the use of drones in this war has significantly impacted battles, with each side deploying hundreds of drones daily to track enemy forces, direct artillery, and strike targets. Ukraine is believed to lead the drone race, both in terms of numbers and innovation, partly driven by the need to compensate for Russia's overwhelming artillery superiority.
However, there is some evidence to suggest that the "Turtle Tank" can withstand dozens of strikes from drones, making it a lethal addition to Russian ground combat forces. While tanks will remain useful in offensive operations, they are likely to be less adaptable due to their size, slow movement, and limited visibility for the crew unless many external cameras are employed.
#### Russian Steps to Counter Western Armament
Meanwhile, as Ukraine receives the Western weapons it has requested, tanks will become more vulnerable to attacks, which will force Russia to innovate and reduce its reliance on the "Turtle Tank," leading to several consequences.
First, Russians may use unmanned ground vehicles, which are being rapidly developed by both sides for electronic penetration operations. Secondly, physical breaches of minefields and other obstacles could be conducted using new types of unmanned ground vehicles, which may include those designed to deploy explosives. There are already prototypes of such vehicles under development.
Thirdly, armored vehicles crewed with better protections against drones, camouflage, and electronic countermeasures could emerge.
#### Ukraine Faces Its Challenge
By distributing the tasks currently performed by the "Turtle Tank" to smaller unmanned vehicles, Russia may distribute risks in its operations to ensure success with other units. To mitigate the threat posed by this tank, Ukraine has already begun exploring ways to tackle it, and it is unlikely to appear in other war zones. However, it demonstrates the ingenuity of the Russians as they learn to adapt to the various innovations introduced by Ukraine throughout the war and achieve breakthroughs with some of their innovations.
