MOSCOW, February 9. /TASS/. Drone operators of Russia’s Battlegroup East destroyed a US-made Abrams tank of the Ukrainian army in the Zaporozhye Region, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

"UAV operators of unmanned systems forces from the 35th Army of the Battlegroup East spotted a US-made Abrams tank during aerial reconnaissance in the Zaporozhye Region. The target coordinates were transmitted to FPV strike drone teams who promptly and skillfully delivered strikes on the target," the ministry said in a statement.

The first strike immobilized the tank and the subsequent strikes wiped out the protective armor and the combat vehicle itself, it specified.

"The tank crew tried to leave the vehicle but was also destroyed on the spot," it said.