Drone operators from the Khartiya National Guard brigade eliminated 20 Russian soldiers and a T-80 tank in the Kharkiv sector of the front line, according to the Khortytsya Operational Strategic Group on Telegram.
“Good news: 20 fewer occupiers are on our land thanks to Khartiya UAV operators,” reads the caption accompanying the first video shared by the group.
JOIN US ON TELEGRAM
Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.
Kyiv Post could not independently verify the time and location of the footage, which shows drones dropping munitions to destroy Russian positions, a fuel truck, and a tank of an unspecified version.
The report added: “We continue to liberate the Kharkiv region, pushing the enemy beyond our borders.”
A second video published by Khartiya via Telegram captured drone operators targeting and destroying a T-80 Russian tank with aerial munitions.
The T-80 tank, valued at $2 to $4 million according to open sources, is less common in the Russian military than the T-72. Its advanced design includes a gas turbine engine that offers high maneuverability, particularly in rugged terrain.
However, this engine requires complex maintenance and consumes significant fuel—about 460 liters per 100 kilometers (62 miles) on paved roads, with even higher usage off-road.
A Hard Decision That’s Easy to Make – Serbia at a Turning Point
Professor Andrii Kharuk from the National Academy of Land Forces said that while the T-80BV variant has better combat capabilities than the T-72B, its drawbacks have led to its declining use. The Russian army, which reportedly had 7,558 T-80s in 2000, reduced its active fleet to 360 by 2021.
Shifts in the Kharkiv sector
On Jan. 12, Yevgeny Romanov, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s Kharkiv operational-tactical group, said that Russian forces had reduced their attacks in the Kharkiv sector.
“I believe this decrease is because they are now concentrating on other areas of the front and cannot operate effectively in the Kharkiv region,” Romanov said, adding that their focus had shifted to the Russian forces’ right flank.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) General Staff reported that on Jan. 14, Russian forces twice attempted to storm Ukrainian positions near Vovchansk. Ukraine’s defense forces also repelled assaults near Lozova, Zapadne, and Dvorichna in the Kupiansk sector, where Russian troops launched three attacks in one day.
Recent drone successes in Kupiansk
A video published in late 2024 showed Ukrainian forces using drones to destroy 21 Russian vehicles in the Kupiansk sector of the Kharkiv region.
The Khortytsya group reported that on Dec. 18, 2024, Russian forces tried to expand their bridgehead near the Oskil River by advancing in two armored columns along separate routes. Ukrainian Defense Forces successfully intercepted and halted the advance.
Destroyed equipment included two T-80 tanks and nine infantry fighting vehicles. Damaged vehicles reportedly included a Multi-Purpose Towing Vehicle Lightly Armored (MT-LB), an Armored Personnel Carrier (APC), and eight Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs).
You can also highlight the text and press Ctrl + Enter
