One of Russia's brand new Armata T-14 heavy battle tanks, which are said to be the finest tanks in the world, appeared to break down on Red Square Thursday during rehearsals for Moscow's Victory Day Parade, media reports said.
К танку подошел министр обороны Сергей Шойгу. Действительно эвакуируют pic.twitter.com/hliLxXrj0p
— Дмитрий Смирнов (@dimsmirnov175) May 7, 2015
The Armata is Russia's next-generation main battle tank, and is reported to feature a remote controlled turret and armor heavier than previous Soviet-designed tanks. The new armored vehicles will be publicly paraded Saturday in celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany.
Practicing for its Saturday debut, one of the new tanks unexpectedly slowed to a halt right in front of the famous GUM department store on Red Square. The engine could be heard rumbling, but the tank would not move, the Associated Press reported.
Attempts to tow the tank as the rest of the armored columns passed by failed, but according to local newspaper Moskovsky Komsomolets, the tank began to move under its own power after the parade passed through the square.
“We have demonstrated how the evacuation of military hardware [during battle] will be conducted,” the newspaper quoted the parade's announcer as saying. “The tank's stop was planned.”
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