Ukraine destroys 1970s Russian army vehicle tested at Chernobyl

Ukraine has destroyed an ultra-rare Soviet-era armoured vehicle that was first field-tested by the Russians at Chernobyl.

Battlefield footage shared on social media appeared to show the Ladoga nuclear command vehicle being targeted by a Ukrainian drone.

The vehicle was designed in the seventies to move senior Kremlin staff around in the event of a nuclear attack.

The Ladoga was subjected to its first real-world testing shortly after the Chernobyl nuclear catastrophe in the spring of 1986, when the vehicle and its crew were dispatched to the scene of the accident.

The vehicle, which was built using the chassis of a T-80 main battle tank, was said to have performed well in the danger zone left by the explosion of Reactor No 4 at the nuclear power station.

But no more than four or five, including the prototype, were built by manufacturer LKZ and dispatched around the country for further testing.

Images of the interior show that the machine was intended for passengers from the Soviet Union’s high command, with several comfortable chairs and tables inside.

The appearance of a Ladoga on the battlefield in Ukraine highlights Russia’s struggle with replacing its battle-stricken tank fleet.

Moscow’s forces have lost 6,904 tanks since the start of the full-scale invasion on Feb 24, 2022, according to an estimate by Ukraine’s defence ministry.

AFV Recognition, an authoritative social media account tracking Russian armour, said: “Out of all the vehicles that have been pulled out of storage and used by Russia in this war, this is one that was really at the bottom of my list to even see in theatre, never mind destroyed.”

Pictures and videos have frequently emerged online of Russia pulling previously mothballed tanks, some from as early as the fifties, out of deep storage.

Since the beginning of the war, Moscow has boasted of ramping up production of new tanks to replace those lost on the battlefield.

However, experts believe the fighting vehicles are likely refurbished pieces of older equipment that have been in storage since the end of the Cold War or possibly longer.