Tank driver crashes out on way to Minsk parade

The pomp and ceremony of a military parade in Belarus lost a little bit of its bluster when a tank driver practising for the main event accidentally smashed into a street pole.

Video shows the hulking armoured vehicle speeding along a wet street in downtown Minsk on the weekend when it suddenly skids sideways.

With the driver unable to regain control the tank slams into the street light. Painfully, the commander standing on top of the tank appears to cop the full force of the blow.

The commander makes a quick recovery from the crash however, and can be seen gingerly picking his way back down and off the 60-tonne beast.

Minutes later dozens of tanks begin to pass by on their way to the parade in the streets of the capital city.

The embarrassing bingle did not go unnoticed on social media, however, with several videos of the crash making their way on to Twitter and Facebook.