Russia destroys Ukrainian M-55S Main Battle Tank for the first time.

In a tweet from Ukraine Weapons Tracker on July 13, 2023, news was reported regarding the destruction of a Ukrainian M-55S tank by the Russian army near Kreminna, in the Luhansk region of Ukraine. According to the information, this loss marks the first confirmation of the destruction of this type of tank by Russian forces.
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M-55S main battle tank used by Ukrainian forces (Picture source: Twitter account Ukraine Weapons Tracker)

For the first time, we witnessed the destruction of a Ukrainian M-55S tank. The Russian army is said to have destroyed this tank using a Krasnopol 152mm guided projectile.

The M-55S is a Ukrainian main battle tank that was developed in the 1990s based on the Soviet T-55 tank. It was modernized to meet the needs of the Ukrainian armed forces, improving its offensive and defensive capabilities.

The T-54/55 is a Soviet tank, weighing only 36 tons. It holds the record for being the most-produced tank in history, with over 100,000 units manufactured since 1947. Notably, during the war in Afghanistan, a significant portion of the Soviet tank fleet consisted of T-54/55 tanks. These tanks were produced in the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, Poland, and China. Former Warsaw Pact countries and their successors possess a considerable number of these tanks, and some have attempted to modernize them. Slovenia is one of these countries, having converted its T-55 tanks into M-55S tanks in the late 1990s. The Slovenian army acquired a total of 30 of these tanks, which were put into service in 1999, and 28 of them have now been sent to Ukraine.

The M-55S tank represents a profound modernization of the T-55. It introduces numerous modifications and significant improvements. The tank is equipped with a new 105mm Royal Ordnance L7 gun with a thermal insulation sleeve. Additionally, the M-55S benefits from additional reactive armor that covers both the turret and hull, modifying the silhouette of the tank to resemble modern designs. Enhancements include a digital ballistic computer, gun stabilization, a Fotona SGS-55 sight equipped with a laser rangefinder, a Fotona COMTOS-55 commander's sight, an improved engine, new rubber-metal tracks, and even a LIRD-1A laser radiation detector connected to the IS-6 smoke grenade launcher.

The destruction of the M-55S has been attributed to the use of a 152mm guided Krasnopol projectile. Krasnopol is a precise guided artillery system developed by Russia, capable of accurately striking long-range targets.

The Krasnopol shell uses laser guidance to accurately reach its target. It can be directed by a laser emitted by the shooter or through another laser designation method. This guidance technology allows for adjusting the shell's trajectory in flight and directing it toward the specific target. The precision of the Krasnopol shell is such that it can hit targets at distances of up to 40 km, depending on the variant used.

Regarding the explosive charge, the Krasnopol shell is equipped with a high-explosive warhead. Depending on the variant, the weight of the explosive warhead ranges from 6.50 kg to 11 kg. This enables significant damage to be inflicted on the intended target, whether it be armored vehicles, fortifications, or other strategic targets.

The first video of the destruction of an M-55S tank is quite striking. Surprisingly, this tank, present since December 17, 2022, as reported on Army Recognition, is only destroyed now. This bears witness to the commitment of Ukrainian forces and the intensification of combat between the two belligerents.

Modernized T-55 main battle tank M-55S of the Slovenia army ( Wikimedia )