‘Smoke Screens Protect Troops’ as Ukrainian Tanks Strike Russian Forces and Evade FPV Drones in Kurakhove

Circulating online is a video showing a Ukrainian tank firing at buildings where Russians were hiding, then deploying a smoke screen and retreating, while a second tank, providing cover, comes under attack from an enemy FPV drone.

According to reports, the events took place in Kurakhove, a frontline town in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine. The tanks of the 46th Airborne Brigade struck Russian forces in the ruins of a shell-hit area from close range.

The Ukrainian tanks fired, moved forward, fired again, and constantly changed positions, before quickly retreating under the cover of smoke screens. One of the Russian drones flew overhead, but the tanks avoided the attack.

Kyiv Post could not independently verify the accuracy of this footage.

As a source in Ukraine's defense forces tells Kyiv Post, smoke screens are continuously used in tactical-level combat operations. They provide cover for offensive operations, supply chain protection, and the movement of personnel and military equipment. The smoke can be deployed by infantry or other means, according to the source.

Popular smoke munitions include 82mm and 120mm caliber smoke grenades. This complicates visual identification of the enemy from observation posts and aerial reconnaissance tools. The enemy also uses a combined munition method, dropping it from drones.

"First, a tear gas device is dropped to force Ukrainian soldiers out of cover, and then a fragmentation munition is dropped to target the exposed Ukrainian troops," the Kyiv Post source adds.

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A key part of these operations involves Western tanks such as the Leopard 1A5 and Leopard 2A4, provided by Germany. They offer modern optics, greater gun accuracy, and better protection compared to the Soviet T-64 and T-80 tanks, which are also used on the battlefield, Forbes writes.

The Leopard 2A4, in particular, thanks to its speed and maneuverability, is ideal for executing quick strike-and-retreat tactics.

Ukrainian tank units have been engaged in intense fighting in the Kurakhove area for several weeks.

Julian Röpke, a German expert analyzing open data for Bild, stated that the Russian occupying army is only 5.5 km away from closing the encirclement south of Kurakhove.

As Ukrainian military journalist Yulia Kyriienko-Merinova reported, Russian forces have almost destroyed Kurakhove with constant artillery shelling and KAB strikes.

“Kurakhove is nearly gone. The city was destroyed by artillery and KABs. Now they’re bombing it with drones. Everything and everyone trying to enter is being targeted,” said the journalist.

Russian forces deliberately target civilians, using drones to intentionally attack civilian objects, the journalist reports.

Recently, the target was an evacuation vehicle from the "White Angels" team. The police officers who were evacuating three civilians were trapped by the enemy, who attacked them with drones and FPV unmanned vehicles, she added.