The video shows a Russian T-72B3 tank from its western military district thundering through the mud with a metal mesh over its head, commonly referred to as a “coping cage” by Ukrainian troops, with an added layer of what appears to be an explosive contact- 1-Reaction Armor (ERA) bricks on it.
The full video from the Russian Ministry of Defense showed the tank delivering drone-corrected indirect fire with its 125mm gun at high altitude. It almost knocks out the drone, which films its attack using the gun’s overpressure.
(Russian MOD Screencap)
In general, ERA protects against attacks by armor-piercing weapons such as high-explosive armor-piercing (HEAT) shells and armor-piercing sabot shells by detonating on impact (creating a counter-explosion) before the weapon penetrates the turret or hull. This interrupts the action of the gun or destroys it outright, saving the tank’s crew and possibly the tank itself. In some applications, when mounted at a steep angle, they can also serve to deflect the weapon’s effects.
Russia’s new ERA loaded cage from above. (Russian MOD Screencap)
It’s unclear if the Kontakt 1 stones could make the Cope Cage more viable. While such a screen might better protect against light top attacks from drone-launched mortars or FPV kamikaze drones, these systems only posed a serious threat to tanks with open hatches. Also, they appear to be placed flat, meaning that they lose the ability to deflect the angle of the weapon.
Whether they could help repel anti-tank missiles suitable for a top attack is another question entirely. Also, if someone was in the hatch below them when they exploded, what damage, if any, would be inflicted on them is another question.
It has been fascinating to watch the development and proliferation of these screens over the last year and a half. Evidently work is still in progress to ensure they serve an intended purpose, at least in a more robust way.