Russian T-72 tank catches fire during exercise

A T-72 main battle tank belonging to 205th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade caught fire during large-scale tactical drills running in Russia’s south.

A video of the flaming tank, which was being circulated on Twitter and Youtube, appears to have been made on 19 July.

The tank unit has taken part in combat training assignments with a live-fire exercise at practice grounds in Russia’s south.

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Overall, the Southern Military District held over 20 battalion-level tactical and more than 10 special drills in the summer training period.

The snap combat readiness check of the troops of the Southern and Western Military Districts, marine infantry of the Northern and Pacific Fleets, some units of central subordination and the Airborne Force was held on July 17 – 21 on order of Russia’s Supreme Commander-in-Chief President Vladimir Putin.

The surprise combat readiness check involved about 150,000 troops, around 400 aircraft, over 26,000 items of armament, military and special hardware and over 100 warships and support vessels.

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