Embarrassing glitch
Russian “Schturm” tank embarrasses itself in front of Putin
October 3, 2026 – 3:48 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
Russia’s new robot tank “Schturm” was intended to impress Putin. However, he ended up getting stuck in the mud.
It was supposed to be a showcase performance: at the strategic maneuver “Zentr-2026”. Russia his new remote-controlled battle tank “Schturm” – also President Vladimir Putin. According to Russian information, the debut ended in embarrassment. The Defense Blog first reported on the embarrassing mishap.
At the Chebarkul military training area in the Chelyabinsk region, radio communication between the vehicle, which is based on a T-72 chassis, and the separate command vehicle repeatedly broke down, Russian sources report. For the demonstration in front of Putin, the tank was not remotely controlled: out of fear of a technical failure, a driver inside took the wheel.
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That didn’t help. A photo of the maneuver shows the “Schturm” nose down in a muddy ditch next to a dirt road, tracks and front fuselage sunk into the ground.
Moscow announced autonomous model as the highlight
The Russian Defense Ministry said on October 2 that Putin had been shown the new unmanned combat vehicles based on the T-72B3M chassis – in a tank and a BMPT variant. They supported assault units with fire in the main phase of the exercise, as the “Defence Blog” reports.
The heavy robot complex is being developed by the Uralvagonzavod concern. It combines remote-controlled combat vehicles with a manned command vehicle, which also sits on a tank chassis. The main variant carries a shortened 125-millimeter cannon for fighting in cities, as well as a plow blade and additional armor against shoulder-mounted anti-tank weapons. It is controlled from the lead vehicle, which can only be a few kilometers away.
Expert doubts the concept of the tank
Russian tank expert Andrej Tarasenko points out several technical weaknesses in a post on Ukraine attack most often. He also questions the basic idea.
“The idea of this vehicle doesn’t seem successful to me: the dependence on a command post that has to be three to four kilometers away and in direct line of sight. Without proper communication like that Starlink or something similar, such a vehicle makes no sense,” said Tarasenko.
The radio problem goes to the heart of the system: without a stable signal, the “Schturm” cannot fight unmanned – and the crew of the lead vehicle has to operate close to the front itself. In Ukraine, both sides disrupt drones and ground robots every day, most of which also work with radio connections. A reliable connection is even more difficult to maintain there than on a practice field.
