WHEN you’re an armoured tank driver and you’re late for a parade, perhaps putting the pedal to the metal in the middle of town isn’t a great idea.

The city of Minsk — the capital of the Russia-aligned state of Belarus — was today preparing for an upcoming military parade.

Columns of military vehicles had taken up position and were practising rolling through the city’s street.

Сапсаваны асфальт у Менску пасьля чарговай рэпэтыцыі параду



Фота @Krasnaok pic.twitter.com/5VktsprOe6 — Радыё Свабода (@svaboda) June 24, 2017

But one tank seems to have been somewhat out-of-place and behind in time.

So the driver poured on the gas and the tracked vehicle leapt down the slick, wet road in the city’s centre.

Social media posts of video and pictures show what happened next.

Hitting the brakes had little effect in slowing the 60-ton beast.

Вот так сегодня танк в Минске на полном ходу въехал в столб pic.twitter.com/9O3nULKqXy — РБ головного мозга (@belamova) June 24, 2017

The heavy tank skidded, went sideways — and then demolished a streetside light pole.

Not to mention gouge up the pavement and gutter of the median strip.

Believe it or not, the Russian-made tank itself will need some serious fender bending to put it back in shape.

Rollers for its tracks were buckled out of alignment, and several of the reactive-armour blocks (designed to explode outwards as a missile strikes) lining its side were crushed.

It was a tow-away job.

Танк врезался в столб! В Минске!! ТАНК!! СТОЛБ!! МИНСК!! pic.twitter.com/KCoy0DWbGD — Krasnaok (@Krasnaok) June 24, 2017