Russian soldiers are packing tanks with explosives and remotely driving them at Ukranian trenches in a bid to blow up soldiers on the front line.

New video footage from Donetsk shows a remotely-controlled T-54 laden with explosives lumbering towards the Ukrainian trench this week. 

It comes as Kyiv has been forced to pause its counter-offensive in the south of the country amid heavy losses of Western armoured vehicles, according to the Wall Street Journal.

In the video as the Ukrainians attempt to repel it, the suicide tank hits a mine and slows down. 

A Ukrainian soldier then hits it with a rocket, blowing the tank up in a massive fireball. 

The tank filled with explosives could be seen exploding just yards from the front line

The tactic has been used at least twice before by Russia

It is the first time the tactic has been caught on camera

Despite the tank being halted approximately 200ft from the Ukrainians, it is likely the huge pressure wave from the explosion killed some soldiers. 

Russia has used the tactic at least twice before, although this is the first time the explosion has been caught on camera. 

On this occasion, Russian propaganda channel ‘Romanov’ claims that Moscow stuffed the tank with six tons of explosives before attempting to blow up Ukrainian soldiers by sending it to Kyiv territory using autopilot.

German Leopard-2A6 and American BMP M2 Bradley tanks destroyed in combat in the Zaporizhzhia region, of southern Ukraine(Picture: EPA)

The Russian defence ministry has claimed to have used this potentially devastating method of destruction on at least one occasion before, declaring on Saturday that its soldiers had packed an MT-LB full of explosives and driving it at Kyiv forces. Moscow claimed that it resulted in significant losses but this is unconfirmed.

They posted footage of soldiers filling the tank with explosives ahead of sending it towards Ukrainian troops.

Yesterday Vladimir Putin claimed Ukraine signed a peace agreement soon after his invasion in February last year, but then tossed it on the ‘rubbish heap of history’.

The Russian president held up a piece of paper during a meeting with several African leaders, saying it was a document agreed by the Kyiv negotiation team.

He also claimed the counter-offensive was failing in parts of Ukraine last week.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected].

For more stories like this, check our news page.

New video footage from Donetsk shows a remotely-controlled T-54 laden with explosives lumbering towards the Ukrainian trench this week.