Tanks of the Ukrainian Army have been used within the military, with their usage and origin after the Cold War; and the modern era.[1] This includes tanks manufactured in Ukraine, leftover Soviet tanks in the Ukrainian Ground Forces today as well as designs imported from other countries and tanks captured in the Russo-Ukrainian War.[2]
In the early 1960's, Ukraine developed and built the T-64 tank which is the most numerous tank Ukraine has today and was manufactured in Kharkiv, and designed by the KhMDB. It was a more advanced counterpart to the T-62 with heavier armor and replaced the smaller-diameter guns on the T-54/55/62 line with a new smoothbore 125-millimeter gun. It also introduced a number of advanced features including composite armour, a compact engine and transmission, and its 125-mm gun was equipped with an autoloader to allow the crew to be reduced to three so the tank could be smaller and lighter. In spite of being armed and armoured like a heavy tank, the T-64 weighed only 38 tonnes (42 short tons; 37 long tons). The 700-horsepower diesel engine with a more compact transmission replaced the bigger but less powerful powertrains on older tank types.
These features made the T-64 expensive to build, significantly more so than previous generations of Soviet tanks. This was especially true of the powerpack, which was time-consuming to build and cost twice as much as more conventional designs. Several proposals were made to improve the T-64 with new engines, but chief designer Alexander Alexandrovich Morozov's political power in Moscow kept the design in production in spite of any concerns about price.[citation needed] The result was a fast, heavily-armed and thickly-armored tank that, on paper, at least matched contemporary Western tanks. Ukraine also had T80 tanks which it captured, and also had the Ukrainian T-80UD diesel engine variant produced in Ukraine. The T-80 variant was sold to many countries, and Ukraine further developed the T-80UD as the T-84.
Ukraine received a number of PT91 Twardy in 2022, a Polish main battle tank based on T-72M1 that developed sometime between the late 1980s and early 1990s. These PT91 Twardy had a new digital fire-control system, newly developed ERA and an uprated powerplant and had the Soviet-made Volna fire control system replaced by the Czechoslovak-made Kladivo FCS or by the Polish SKO-1 Mérida, which was originally designed for T-55AM "Merida", and is equipped with a Wola 850-horsepower diesel engine. Besides the new FCS, the Radomka passive night vision devices were installed in the driver's compartment, as was the Liswarta night sight, Obra laser illumination warning system, Tellur anti-laser smoke grenade launchers, solid or modular metal side skirts and the Polish-developed Erawa-1 or Erawa-2 explosive reactive armour was also fitted on the PT91 Twardy. Poland is said to have sent Ukraine some 232 T-72 tanks in its fight against the Russian invasion.[8][9]
Ukrainian T-72 during training, 2018.
On 20 January 2023 the Netherlands offered Leopard 2 tanks.[10] The offers are conditional on mutual agreement by multiple nations; Germany will not block the export of Leopard 2s (by Poland, Finland, Denmark, to Ukraine. Poland has requested approval to export Leopard 2s to Ukraine.[11] On 25 January 2023 the US agreed to send tanks to Ukraine under the auspices of the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) in a $400 million package; 31 M1 Abrams tanks (an entire Ukraine tank battalion),[12] and 8 M88 Recovery Vehicles (for rescuing mired tanks)[13] will not arrive in Ukraine for months.[14][15][16][17][a] Germany has also agreed to send over a dozen Leopard 2s to Ukraine, and will support the donation with ammunition and training in Germany. Germany has agreed to approve the reexport of Leopard 2s from other nations to Ukraine.[21][22][23] The goal is to send 80 Leopard 2s to Ukraine.[24] By 25 January 2023 the list of nations willing to send tanks to Ukraine had grown (UK—14 Challenger 2s, US—31 Abrams M1A2,[25] Canada—8 Leopard 2s,[26] Germany— 112 Leopard 1s (eventually 2 battalions (some 88 tanks) plus 14 2A4s immediately),[27] Poland—14 Leopard 2A4s, Finland—14 Leopard 2 A4/A6s, Denmark—6 Leopard 2A5/A7s, Netherlands—18 Leopard 2A4s, Norway—8 Leopard 2A4s, Portugal—4 Leopard 2A4s, and Spain— 20-53 Leopard 2A4s (20 are in good condition, the remainder need repair) respectively).[28][29] On 23 February Finland announced its contribution will include 3 pieces of Leopard 2 mine clearing tanks built in Leopard 2A4 platform.[30] A day later, on 24 February 2023, Swedens Minister of Defence Pål Jonson announced the donation of 10 Stridsvagn 122 based on the Leopard 2A5 tanks to Ukraine, along with CV90 infantry fighting vehicles.[31]
On 7 February 2023 the European community determined that industrial manufacturers hold 178 Leopard 1 tanks which could be refurbished and provided to Ukraine,[32] with 20-25 Leopard 1A5 tanks available in the upcoming months of 2023. The remainder could be delivered in 2024, assuming that Germany, the Netherlands, and Denmark fund them.
In total, as of January 2023, Western countries have promised to deliver more than 300 tanks to Ukraine, including Leopard 2, Challenger 2, and M1 Abrams tanks.
In the early months of the war in Donbas that erupted in 2014 the Armed Forces were widely criticised for their poor equipment and inept leadership, forcing Internal Affairs Ministry forces like the National Guard and the territorial defence battalions to take on the brunt of the fighting in the first months of the war.[33][34]
By February 2018 the Ukrainian armed forces were larger and better equipped, numbering 200,000 active-service military personnel. Most of the volunteer soldiers of the territorial defence battalions were integrated into the official Ukrainian army.[35]
Ukraine used mainly Russian or Warsaw Pact designed tanks prior to the invasion, with over 800-900 tanks in service at the beginning of the war. There were some models it had made in its factories, but because of the need on the economic side, some were sold for export. It had mainly T-84BM/U Oplot, T-80BV, a T-64BM with an estimated 800 active T-64 tanks, and a large number of T72 variants, but 700 were sold to third world countries.[36] The most notable Ukrainian tank was the T-64 main battle tank which was designed and produced in Ukraine and was modernized as the T064BM Bulat and considered technologically superior to the Russian counterparts.
On 24 February 2022, Russia began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.[37] The invasion began on 24 February 2022, launched out of Belarus to target Kyiv, and from the northeast against the city of Kharkiv. The southeastern front was conducted as two separate spearheads, from Crimea and the southeast against Luhansk and Donetsk. The Ukrainian tank battle at Chernihiv by the 1st Tank Brigade’s T-64B and T-64BM tanks against the Russian 41st Combined Arms Army with its 20,000 troops and hundreds of T-72 tanks in defense of the city and holding out, was remarkable. On 25 March 2022, the Ukrainians began a counter-offensive in the north which retook several towns to the east and west of Kyiv, including Makariv.[38][39] Russian troops in the Bucha area retreated north at the end of March. Ukrainian forces entered the city on 1 April. The Ground Forces have been participants of most of the land combat actions of the current war.
The counter offensive also spread to Kharkiv, and on 13 May 2022, BBC reported that Russian troops in Kharkiv were being retracted and redeployed to other fronts in Ukraine following the advances of Ukrainian troops into surrounding cities and Kharkiv itself, which included the destruction of strategic pontoon bridges built by Russian troops to cross over the Seversky Donets river and previously used for rapid tank deployment in the region.[40]
Ukraine in September 2022 did a fall offensive that retook more than 3,088 sq miles from Russian control with armored forces supported by some of the vehicles from Western countries. It retook the major cities of Izyum and Kupiansk, which were key supply centers for the Russian forces. Ukrainian also formed large armor forces to attack around the Kherson in the south of the country, but the Russians retreated across the river before the main attack. The influx of Western material and supplies to the branch before and during the conflict as well as mobilization efforts have resulted in a massive expansion of the Ukrainian forces with more than 500 T-72s from Poland, the Czech Republic and other countries,[41] in addition to ongoing force modernization. The Ukrainian tank forces were an important factor in almost every major sector and its estimated Russian losses have been almost 40 percent of their prewar number of tanks,[42] and had begun to bring in older T-62 tanks out of storage.[43] However, the Ukrainian army have lost half of their most common tank, over 50 percent of their 800 prewar active T-64 tanks, which can't be replaced in contrast to more current t-72's and T-80's.[44]
On 1 August 2022, Russian forces launched massive ground attacks on the city of Bakhmut. Both the Russian Ministry of Defense and pro-Russian Telegram pages claimed that the battle of Bakhmut had begun.[45][46] The following day, Ukraine reported that Russian forces had increased airstrikes and shelling of Bakhmut, beginning a ground attack on the southeastern part of the city.[47] On 4 August, Wagner Group mercenaries managed to break through Ukrainian defenses and reach the eastern outskirts of Bakhmut. However, German-made Leopard 2 tanks were spotted near Bakhmut near the frontline, and it seemed the battle had become a stalemate. They had started to come into Ukraine on February 24, 2023, when Poland handed over the first four out of 14 Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks to the 4th Tank Brigade.[48] Ukraine has also received the British Challenger 2's that were promised along with Marder infantry fighting vehicles from Germany, and US Cougar armored trucks and Stryker armored personnel carriers.[49]
Some western tanks have been reported as lost in attacks on Russian positions so they are engaged in the fight to recover the territory of Ukraine. On 24 September 2023 during the Zaporizhzhia counteroffensive 2 Stridsvagn 122 tanks were lost in combat.[50]
500 T-72/T-72As were in storage in 2021 with no plans yet for repairs. As of 3 December 2022, 308 T-72 tanks have been visually confirmed captured, which is the biggest number among all Russian main battle tanks types. Various countries donated T-72s due to the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Poland delivered more than 260 tanks mainly of T-72M1, T-72M1R and PT-91 Twardy tanks. Czech Republic provided 194+ tanks (35 T-72M1 of that supported by German ring deal; 90 of that being T-72 Avenger in cooperation with USA and the Netherlands, portion of which were modernized from T-72B provided by Morocco, further 15 T-72 Avenger in cooperation with Denmark and Netherlands). North Macedonia donated at least 8 T-72 tanks.[55][56]
Additionally, one T-72 Avenger was crowdfunded by citizens of the Czech Republic in October 2022.[57]
On March 21, 2023, Norway sent 2 "NM189 Ingeniørpanservogn"(variant of Leopard 1A5) and 2 Bergepanzer 2 ARV tanks to Ukraine.[65]
On March 11, 2023, the Danish Ministry of Defense announced the first batch of 80 Leopard 1A5 tanks would be delivered "by spring".[66]
On 11 January 2023, during the Lublin Triangle meeting of the Ukrainian, Polish and Lithuanian presidents, it was announced that Poland will deliver a company of Leopard 2 tanks.[67][68]
On 9 March 2023, 14 Polish Leopard 2A4 were delivered[69][70]
On 20 March 2023, Norway announced 8 Leopard 2A4 were delivered[71]
On 27 March 2023, Portugal announced 3 Leopard 2A4 were delivered.[72]
On 28 March 2023, 18 German Leopard 2A6[73] were delivered[74]
On January 26, 2023, Canadian Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau announced that Canada would give Ukraine 4 combat ready Leopard 2 tanks. Then on February 24, the one year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it was announced that Canada would send 4 more Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. Totaling 8 Leopard 2 tanks.[75][76]
On February 23, 2023, the Swedish government pledged to send 10 Leopard 2A5/Strv122 to Ukraine.[citation needed]
On February 23, 2023, Finland announced it would send 3 modified mine-clearing Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. On March 23, three more mine-clearing Leopard 2s were pledged, bringing the total to 6.[77][78]
On March 15, 2023, the Spanish government pledged a total of 10 Leopard 2A4 tanks, with the first 6 expected to arrive in Ukraine in the second half of April.[79][80] On July 15, 2024 Spain announced a second donation batch of 10 Leopard 2A4 tanks to Ukraine.[81] On Oct 17, 2024 Germany announced a donation of 18 Leopard 2A6.[82] On 20th of November Spain announced the refurbishement of 9 Leopard 2A4 tanks for Ukraine.[citation needed]
On 11 January 2023, the United Kingdom confirmed plans to send modern heavy tanks to Ukraine.[83] On 28 March, 14 Challenger tanks were delivered to Ukraine.[84]
In January 2023, the United States stated they will send 31 M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine.[85] They have arrived as of September 2023.[86] As of September 2024, 14 M1A1 Abrams tanks have been visually confirmed as destroyed or damaged.[87] On Oct 16, 2024 Australia announces donation of 49 Abrams M1A1 SA tanks to Ukraine.[88]
Zaloga, Steven J.; Markov, David (2000). Russia's T-80U Main Battle Tank. Hong Kong: Concord Publications. ISBN962-361-656-2.
Zaloga, Steven J. (17 February 2009). T-80 Standard Tank: The Soviet Army's Last Armored Champion. Osprey Publishing, New Vanguard. ISBN978-1-84603-244-8.
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