gruene-teufel:A Ukrainian T-64BV main battle tank sits knocked out following an engagement with pro-
gruene-teufel:A Ukrainian T-64BV main battle tank sits knocked out following an engagement with pro-Russian rebels in the town of Ilovais'k, Ukraine, on 22 August 2014.This tank, crewed by commander Sergei Isayev, gunner Igor Ivanchenko, and driver Eugene Martyniuk, spearheaded the Ukrainian advance into the town. During the fighting this tank received five direct hits from rocket-propelled grenades and fire from high-caliber small arms, but survived all hits with minor damage. The sixth rocket-propelled grenade to hit to tank damaged the gun rammer, forcing the crew to resort to driving forward and braking suddenly to chamber rounds properly. A seventh rocket-propelled grenade injured both the commander and gunner, while an eighth destroyed the suspension - this eighth round rendered them immobile, which also completely silenced their main gun. They continued firing from their PKT machine gun until it, too, was knocked out.Since their combat effectiveness had now been reduced to absolute zero, the three crew members realized they could do no more good for the offensive and attempted to leave the battle space. Martyniuk, the only unscathed tanker, helped his wounded crew members out of the T-64BV and onto the back. When the rebels in the area had been completely driven out all three tankers were successfully brought back to their base. On 23 August Martyniuk was put at the helm of a new T-64BV and continued the fight to liberate Eastern Ukraine. -- source link
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