On October 5, 2022, the 2nd Assault Battalion of the 128th Mountain Assault Brigade and the attached tanks of the 17th Tank Brigade conducted assault operations as part of a general offensive operation in the fields between the settlements of Dudchany and Nova Kamianka, Kherson region. They were opposed by the 34th Independent Motor Rifle Brigade (Mountain) of the Russian Armed Forces.

The Russian Armed Forces retreated under pressure from the advancing Ukrainian forces. The 34th Brigade held intermediate defense lines.

Head-on battle

According to one of the participants in those events, at some point, the 4th Company of the 2nd Battalion caught up with the Russians. They had to come into direct contact with the enemy (geolocation).

“We were advancing and at one point their reserve in the amount of four tanks came onto us,” says a soldier of the 128th Brigade with the call sign “Sokil”.

At that time, the soldiers moved forward as part of a convoy of two BMP-2, which was headed by the attached Т-64BV tank of the 17th Tank Brigade. Having reacted in time to the threat detected by the aerial reconnaissance unit, the machinery deployed a smoke screen, hiding from the sight of the Russians.

“We used smoke, so the enemy could not see that we continued to move in their direction,” “Sokil” continues.

The Ukrainian Т-64BV tank, speeding up the pace, moved forward to the very end of the windbreak under the cover of trees, while the BMPs turned to the left. Two Russian Т-90S tanks went to meet the tank in a reflecting way, with one far behind than the other.

The Ukrainian tank reached the trees first and quickly caught up with the Russian Т-90S with its own name “Guchi”. At that time, the tank behind crossed only a third of the way.

Thanks to the drones of the 4th Battalion of the 128th Mountain Assault Brigade, the crew of the Т-64BV was correctly oriented and coordinated to take the battle.

“Our aerial reconnaissance was in the air, so when our tank caught up with the Russian one, the tankman was already oriented. He waited and caught [an enemy tank] between the trees in the landing,” says “Sokil.”

Two high-explosive tank rounds (!) Т-64BV were fired at the enemy tank, disabling it.

Having successfully neutralized the first tank, the Т-64BV shifted under the cover of trees and bushes to the side in order to avoid return fire. However, the Russian Т-90S that followed the first tank, after seeing the losses turned around and headed back.

The retreating tank was covered by fire by two other tanks that remained at the turn. Constantly maneuvering, they fired at the positions where the fighters left off.

At the time, the commander of the 128th Brigade’s Company managed to call for artillery fire. Support for the soldiers of the 4th Company was provided by one 120mm mortar. The mortar crew independently detected and fired at those targets using its own drone.

At the same time, due to thick plantings, Т-64 tank was unable to conduct aimed fire, so the tank gunner had to shoot blindly through the windbreak following radio instructions from the Company’s drone operator. Thus, he miraculously managed to damage another tank.

Together, Ukrainian soldiers managed to push the enemy back. Already during the withdrawal, a second damaged vehicle went up in smoke and, later, caught fire.

Final of the Day

After a gruelling battle-full day, the 4th Company took up the vacated positions, after which they were replaced by a “fresh” rifle battalion.

The results of the day were two destroyed Russian Т-90 tanks and the killed crew. The invaders had to pull their forces south and arrange new positions a few kilometers farther from the lost company stronghold.

Thanks for the help in writing the material to the soldiers of the 128th Mountain Assault Brigade and directly to the warrior with the call sign “Fizyk“!