Russian tanks equipped with Arena-M APS suffer losses in Donbas clash
During a July 22 battle near Pokrovsk, Russian forces using the new Arena-M active protection system lost several tanks to Ukrainian drone swarms, highlighting the system's limited effectiveness against massed attacks.
Russian mechanised units attempted a coordinated assault on the Donbas front on July 22, advancing from Vozdvyzhenka and Novoekonomichne toward Volodymyrivka. The columns reached the villages of Novotoretske and Popiv Yar before deploying into combat formation. Ukrainian forces responded with electronic jamming, artillery, air strikes on pontoon bridges, and extensive drone attacks.
The Russian convoy included seven T-72B3A tanks fitted with the Arena-M active protection system, designed to counter shaped-charge projectiles and drones. According to Ukrainian veteran Dmytro Putiata, the system succeeded in destroying seven FPV drones, but a total of 15 to 20 drones were required to bring down a single tank. The Russian Military Informant channel noted that while the system can neutralise some drones, the high volume of Ukrainian drones exhausts the limited defensive ammunition, reducing its practical utility.
The engagement resulted in the loss of seven Russian tanks, six BMP infantry fighting vehicles, two multiple-rocket launchers and additional equipment. The battle also saw the fall of Rodynske, a town near Pokrovsk that had resisted Russian advances for months. Russian forces now hold positions across the Pokrovsk area and are poised to press toward Dobropillia, facing a Ukrainian defensive line from Bilytske to Vodyanske.