Rare video shows AFU hunt for Russia's 'Frankenstein' bomb launcher

The Ukrainian 3rd Separate Air Assault Brigade has shown a successful operation against a unique enemy vehicle, the RBU-6000 rocket-bomber system mounted on a T-72 tank chassis, often referred to as a "Frankenstein", Defense Express reports.

On August 1, the press service of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade reported that in the Kharkiv region, soldiers from the unmanned systems battalion, in collaboration with their partner units, targeted and hit this rare enemy vehicle using FPV drones.

The footage shows at least two FPV drones striking the vehicle, causing it to catch fire. The vehicle's subsequent status remains unknown.

This "Frankenstein", so called because it is made by stitching together diverse spare parts, is a relatively uncommon target for the Ukrainian Defense Forces. The extent of its active and effective use by Russian forces on the battlefield remains unclear.

Initial reports of Russia's experiments with the RBU-6000 emerged in autumn 2023. The first known installation was on the MT-LB, a versatile vehicle often used for such modifications, including the A-22 Bereg shipboard MLRS.

By 2024, footage of the enemy using this weapon began to surface, revealing manual loading and primarily nighttime operations. Beyond the MT-LB, the RBU-6000 has been observed on various chassis this year, including two sightings in January on T-80 tank chassis.

Most recently, the Russian army unveiled a third variant, with the RBU-6000 mounted on a Ural truck, spotted in the temporarily occupied Luhansk region.