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‘Steel Coffins’: Russia’s T-90M Tanks Are ‘Blowing Their Tops’ in Ukraine
(nationalsecurityjournal.org)
this post was submitted on 08 Feb 2026
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Overblown. Leopard 2s also throw their turrets when the ammo gets hit. Abrams have the blowout panels in the turret, improving survivability, but there is no tank in which having your ammunition detonate is going to be a good time.
The T-72 (the T-90 is just a highly upgraded T-72) remains an effective tank that can be produced in large numbers and has lower logistical requirements than the 70-ton Western heavy MBTs. It's the same distinction as in WW2 between Shermans and T-34s vs. the German heavies - yes, at the immediate tactical level, the heavier tank is better, but at the operational and strategic levels, the lighter tank that's available in large numbers and has a lower logistical requirement is superior
The question is - how does ammo detonates so easily in the first place?
Because the T-72, etc. all store the primary ammunition in a gallery inside the turret. Which is great for reloading speed, but not so great for... anything else. Since the turret is the least armoured bit of the tank, it's the easiest part to penetrate, and once a projectile penetrates the armour, it's right into the ammunition storage, detonating it, and boom, turret toss.
It's ammo's job to detonate, you just don't want it detonating too early, or in the wrong place.