David Axe of Forbes reports that Russian “turtle tanks” are a “marvel of modern Russian engineering” and “blind, loud, and stupid.” He writes:

Desperate to clear mines in the no-man’s-land between Russian and Ukrainian positions—and equally desperate to protect the mine-clearers from Ukraine’s explosive drones—the Russian military devised a new kind of vehicle this spring.

It’s an up-armored tank with mine-exploding rollers and shed-like improvised armor to shield the crew, and any infantry passengers, from first-person-view drones.

The Ukrainians quickly nicknamed the do-it-yourself assault vehicle a “turtle tank.” Potentially scores of them have appeared all along the 700-mile front line of Russia’s wider war on Ukraine.

Two months after the turtle tank’s debut, the Russians are still building copies at front-line workshops—and at least one regiment is asking for donations from everyday Russians to finish the work. […]

Unboxing a Russian turtle tank, captured by Ukrainian Army’s 22nd Mechanized Brigade. pic.twitter.com/5DtegWqcB4

— Clash Report (@clashreport) June 22, 2024

The months-long campaign has resulted in modest gains but has cost the 218th Tank Regiment and adjacent units dozens of vehicles, including at least one T-72 turtle tank, which was repeatedly struck by FPV drones. […]

“This hardware needs to be retired, not pressed into active service,” the driver said. But with more and better Ukrainian drones swarming overhead, and countless mines left to clear, the Russians are doubling down on the concept—for lack of a better alternative, if for no other reason.

“We’ll keep adding and welding all of this on,” the Russian tanker tells his donors in his video. “We’ve already done a lot, thanks to you.”

“Victory will be ours,” he added.

Read more here.