Russia filled a troop carrier with explosives and drove it towards Ukrainian positions before detonating it, the Kremlin has said
The announcement, carried by state-linked RIA Novosti news agency, comes as drone footage appears to show a Russian T-55 tank used as a remote-controlled, explosive battering ram on Ukrainian defences. Pro-Russian accounts, and the Calibre Obscura defence consultancy, said the tank was carrying six tonnes of TNT.
Russia's defence ministry did not comment on the "suicide tank" attack, but said on Sunday that a captured MT-LB armoured vehicle was used in a separate attack, with the driver jumping out as it rolled towards the Ukrainian trench.
“Servicemen of the engineering and sapper unit of the Central Military District destroyed the stronghold of the Armed Forces of Ukraine by remote detonation of a captured armoured personnel carrier, which was filled with explosives and sent to enemy positions,” RIA Novosti reported on Sunday, citing Ministry of Defence officials.
Several analysts said on Sunday that Russia had used a remote-controlled T-55 tank packed with explosives, which was destroyed using an anti-tank missile.
Drone footage taken on Sunday showed what appeared to be a T-55, which has a distinctive rounded turret, driving towards a tree line before exploding and creating a colossal shock wave.
The blast shown on the drone footage was many times larger than that caused by a normal tank detonation – many of which have been catastrophic because of the explosion of both ammunition and fuel.
Remote-control vehicle bombs
This may not be the first time such a bomb – called a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) by experts – has been used in this way in Ukraine.
In May, a bombing claimed to have been carried out using a remote-controlled troop carrier, appeared on the Twitter account of a pro-Russian war monitor that goes by the name “Don’t Stop War”.
Hugo Kaaman, an expert on vehicle bombs, said in a tweet that Russia had carried out a “failed (likely RC-) VBIED attack” against Kyiv's forces near Svatove, in Ukraine's breakaway enclave of Luhansk.
Mr Kaaman said the vehicle in question was an MT-LB, a turretless troop carrier capable of holding 11 soldiers, which was originally designed in the 1950s.
Russia typically fields more modern armoured personnel carriers, including the BMP series that entered service in the 1960s. The latest variant, the BMP-3, entered service in the late 1980s.
Before these attacks, Ukraine had detonated Gnome Kamikazes, unmanned ground vehicles fitted with TM-62 anti-tank mines.
The tactic dates from the Second World War, when German forces remotely detonated Goliath tracked mines, a series of unmanned ground vehicles carrying powerful explosives.
Soviet-era troop carriers filled with bombs were also frequently used by ISIS and Al Qaeda-linked militants to carry out suicide attacks against Syrian forces during the country’s 12-year civil war.
Reports emerged later of ISIS filling captured US Humvees with bombs.
Syrian and Iraqi forces eventually adapted to the threat by building defensive sand berms and using anti-tank missiles or air support provided by allies to destroy the vehicle bombs.
Tips for taking the metro
- set out well ahead of time
- make sure you have at least Dh15 on you Nol card, as there could be big queues for top-up machines
- enter the right cabin. The train may be too busy to move between carriages once you're on
- don't carry too much luggage and tuck it under a seat to make room for fellow passengers
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
Who are the Soroptimists?
The first Soroptimists club was founded in Oakland, California in 1921. The name comes from the Latin word soror which means sister, combined with optima, meaning the best.
The organisation said its name is best interpreted as ‘the best for women’.
Since then the group has grown exponentially around the world and is officially affiliated with the United Nations. The organisation also counts Queen Mathilde of Belgium among its ranks.
SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday (All UAE kick-off times)
Lecce v SPAL (6pm)
Bologna v Genoa (9pm)
Atlanta v Roma (11.45pm)
Sunday
Udinese v Hellas Verona (3.30pm)
Juventus v Brescia (6pm)
Sampdoria v Fiorentina (6pm)
Sassuolo v Parma (6pm)
Cagliari v Napoli (9pm)
Lazio v Inter Milan (11.45pm)
Monday
AC Milan v Torino (11.45pm)
