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In the annals of military history, few things are as strange, hilarious, and oddly poetic as Ukraine’s soldiers turning Russian tanks into collector’s items. What started as an invasion quickly became an unintentional, high-stakes version of an antiques roadshow — with tanks doubling as unwanted souvenirs of war.
Tanks Abandoned Like Forgotten Luggage
Russian soldiers rolled into Ukraine with the confidence of tourists who packed poorly for their trip. But instead of realizing they forgot sunscreen, they forgot basic invasion logistics. Within weeks, Russian tanks were breaking down, running out of fuel, or just being left behind like forgotten luggage at an airport. And just like that, Ukraine’s soldiers became the proud owners of some of the finest Soviet-era scrap metal.
Imagine the scene:
“Hey, Vlad, where’s the tank?”
“Uhh… last I saw, a Ukrainian farmer was towing it away.”
The sheer absurdity of these scenarios played out repeatedly. The footage of abandoned tanks scattered across fields was almost as frequent as footage of operational tanks. It was as if Russia’s military motto had become, “If we can’t win, we’ll leave behind souvenirs.”
