A Ukrainian gunner recently reported successfully engaging a residential structure housing Russian forces from a remarkable distance of nearly 7 miles, utilizing an Italian B1 Centauro wheeled tank destroyer. This incident highlights the adaptability of Ukrainian tank and armored vehicle crews, who frequently employ their weaponry for indirect fire, akin to traditional artillery.
The crew, serving with the 78th Separate Air Assault Brigade, described their achievement to Army TV, a Ukrainian defense ministry channel. The gunner, identified by the call sign “Khilya,” stated, “The furthest shot I had was from a closed position. It was 11 kilometers. At 11,100 meters, I hit a building directly where they were sitting.” A ‘closed position’ implies firing from a hidden location at a target beyond the operator’s direct line of sight, effectively transforming the tank gun’s role into that of an artillery piece. The reported distance of 11,100 meters translates to approximately 6.9 miles, or the equivalent of 121 football fields.
This isn’t the first instance of Ukrainian gunners claiming long-range indirect hits with tank guns. A notable prior event in 2022 involved a Ukrainian T-64BV crew reporting a successful strike on a Russian tank from 10,600 meters (about 6.5 miles). The increasing prevalence of using tank guns in an artillery role is attributed to the battlefield’s saturation with drones. These unmanned aerial vehicles can readily exploit the vulnerabilities of armored vehicles, making direct engagements with enemy positions exceedingly hazardous.
“At the moment, to go tank-to-tank, you have to first get through a large number of FPV drones and all kinds of Molniya drones. That’s difficult. But from closed positions, this fires very accurately,” explained the B1 Centauro’s commander, known as “Director.” FPV drones are first-person-view drones, while Molniya refers to fixed-wing, one-way attack drones commonly deployed on the front lines.
To counter the drone threat, the B1 Centauro showcased by the crew was equipped with anti-drone metal cages on its chassis, along with additional netting forming a protective hood behind the gun turret. These wheeled tank destroyers, primarily manufactured in the 1990s, were reportedly supplied to Ukraine in 2023 and first appeared in public footage in late 2025 during operations with the 78th Brigade.
While the Italian Centauro can elevate its gun to approximately 15 degrees, specialized self-propelled howitzers typically boast a much greater elevation capability, often reaching 60 to 70 degrees.
