Watch: Russia's most advanced tank destroyed by US Bradley fighting vehicle

Mr Lee added: “That T-90M took 20 + 25mm rounds to its frontal armour and an FPV strike, and the entire crew survived.

“An IFV [infantry fighting vehicle] or APC [armoured personnel carrier] would not have been as lucky.”

The T-90’s survivability appears to match that of the British Challenge 2 and German Leopard 2 tanks which have been donated to Ukraine.

While both Nato-standard tanks have been disabled on the battlefield in Ukraine, Kyiv’s forces have not lost a single crew member in any attack.

Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a former Challenger 2 commander, said the T-90 had likely succumbed to a Bradley because Russia still favours firepower and mobility over heavier, more protective armour.

“It shows just how vulnerable Russian tanks are because protection comes a distant third to firepower and mobility,” he said.

Mr de Bretton-Gordon also suggested the Russian tank could have come into difficulty because it was manned by an ill-prepared crew.

Russia has lost 6,147 tanks since the start of the war, according to estimates by Ukraine’s General Staff.

“They might be getting enough tanks back on track but they just can’t come up with the trained crews, which is proving a real problem for Russia,” Mr de Bretton-Gordon said.

American Bradleys were initially handed to Ukraine’s 47th Brigade, along with German Leopard 2 tanks, to spearhead the spring-summer counter-offensive last year.

The vehicles offered superior protection but became trapped in vast minefields, causing the offensive to largely fail. Around a third of the 50 donated by Washington were lost in the initial thrust.

While many were destroyed, the vehicles were credited with saving their crews’ lives in drone and artillery attacks, thanks to the Western armour fitted to them.

‘David versus Goliath’

Kyiv’s best-equipped brigade was eventually withdrawn from the fight in October to help defend the embattled Donetsk region town of Avdiivka, near to Steptove.

The Bradleys’ fight with the T-90 was billed as a “David versus Goliath” by Mr de Bretton-Gordon, one which should come as encouragement for the vehicles’ users now it has been battle tested against a Russian tank.

The American-made vehicles are known for their prowess in “hunter-killer” engagements with larger armoured machines.

In drone footage of the Stepove clash, its mobility is demonstrated as it continuously moves to dodge incoming fire while unloading a salvo with its primary M242 25mm automatic cannon weapon.

Meanwhile, the Russian tank stood largely still, taking continuous fire and failing to hit back with its own 125mm stabilised gun.

For even inexperienced war-fighters, an immobile tank, sometimes described as acting as a “pillbox”, is often an easy target.

Mr de Bretton-Gordon said the lack of movement from the Russian tank was likely down to its inexperienced crew becoming flustered under pressure.