Russia’s new tank apparently breaks down in Red Square during military parade rehearsal
Russia’s new Armata T-14 tank apparently stalled and broke down today during the final rehearsal for the May 9 Victory Day parade in Red Square. The tank, recently described by Army Times as “faster than an Abrams,” seemed to break down in front of Lenin’s Mausoleum.
After ten minutes, a special vehicle arrived and towed the broken-down tank from Red Square. At the end of the rehearsal, an announcer said over loudspeakers, “We have demonstrated how the evacuation of military equipment is conducted. The stopped tank was planned.”
Later on, Alexei Zharich, the deputy director of the factory that makes the Armata T-14, wrote on Twitter that the tank “quietly started back up and rode off” after being towed from Lenin’s Tomb. He soon deleted this tweet and posted a video allegedly showing the same Armata T-14 driving away from Red Square.
The stalled tank has already become a meme online.
Photo proof! The Armata tank is being pulled through Red Square according to old traditions.
Fake Foreign Ministry of Russia
In Moscow during the final rehearsal for the Victory Day parade, the state-of-the-art Armata tank broke down.
Realuran
The all-new Armata tank. Yep.
Ivan Philippov
The Armata tank didn’t break down in front of Lenin’s Mausoleum—it was just trying to wake him up.
Julia Kozlova
Uralvagonzavod started developing the Armata T-14 in 2009. In 2013, it held a closed presentation of the new military vehicle. The first unofficial photographs of the tank appeared in March 2015. The public will be introduced to the new weapon at the May 9, 2015, Victory Day parade in Moscow. At past parade rehearsals, the Armata T-14’s gun turret has been obscured by a special cover.