Russian strike drones have destroyed a rare Swedish Strv 103 tank in Kharkov Region. The vehicle, also known as the Stridsvagn 103 or S-tank, had drawn little interest before the conflict in Ukraine, former tank crewman and military expert Boris Dzhereliyevsky told aif.ru.

Footage of the strike was earlier released by the Telegram channel Severny Veter, which is linked to Russia’s Sever group of forces. According to the channel, Russian reconnaissance units located the Ukrainian army tank near the village of Petrovka outside Kharkov, after which strike drones hit the target.

For the Sever troops, this was reportedly the second Strv 103 destroyed in the special military operation zone. The first tank of this type was hit by Russian forces near Sumy last autumn. Sweden, however, has not publicly announced any transfer of these vehicles to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Dzhereliyevsky described the Strv 103 as an unusual Swedish design. Its concept was built around making maximum use of terrain, allowing the tank to hide in folds of the landscape. But the vehicle never gained broad demand. According to the expert, it was not exported, as far as he knows, and buyers showed no interest in it before such tanks appeared in Ukraine.

He linked the Ukrainian army’s use of this equipment to attempts to hand over older weapons systems to Kyiv. In his assessment, this approach allows such vehicles to be tested for any remaining modernization potential while also helping dispose of equipment that is no longer suitable for continued use.

The S-tank was developed between 1956 and 1961 as a replacement for British Centurion tanks in the Swedish army. Serial production of the Strv 103 ran from 1966 to 1971, with 335 vehicles built in total. The tank was withdrawn from service in the 1990s.

The vehicle was known for its low profile, standing just over two meters high. Its other distinctive features included a 50-round autoloader and an unconventional turretless layout, with the gun fixed rigidly in the front of the hull.