Ukrainian forces secure advanced Russian tanks in daring Kursk mission

The Ukrainians have captured their fourth T-80BWM, adding one T-90M and a pair of T-72 tanks to three others. According to the Ukrainians, the last two are in the worst condition and require extensive repairs.

According to CSIS estimates, Russia is currently capable of producing 60-90 T-90M tanks annually, and other sources indicate the production of up to 150 T-80BWM tanks per year. It is worth noting, however, that these latter tanks are modified versions of the T-80B/BW, of which Russia has fewer and fewer in stock.

Covert Cabal group, which analyses Russian stocks based on satellite images, estimated that out of about 1,200-1,600 units before the war, fewer than 300 are visible in stocks by mid-2024. Additionally, considering estimates involving garages, the most optimistic scenario for the Russians leaves them with fewer than 500 T-80B/BW units.

The remaining units are likely in poor condition because the worst units are always left for last, which will soon cause a collapse in the production of T-80BWM tanks. For this reason, any losses caused by these machines in Russia are good news. Captured units are especially valuable, as seen by, for example, the 80th Air Assault Brigade.

T-80BWM tanks are the second-best machine for the Russians after the T-90M. They are based on the post-Soviet T-80BW tanks. They were a product of the Malyshev Factory in Kharkiv, evolving from the revolutionary T-64 tanks. The T-80BWM variant has been produced by the Russians since 2017 through reconstruction combined with the refurbishment of older machines.

The T-80BWM is a well-armoured machine equipped with heavy Relikt reactive armour, a dual-layer solution. This protects against advanced tandem warhead HEAT rounds and reduces the effectiveness of APFSDS kinetic penetrators by altering their trajectory so that they hit the main armour sideways.

There are recordings on the internet showing how the T-80BWM can even survive a swarm attack by FPV drones, and its thermal signature was able to confuse the Javelin's targeting system, causing them to hit, for example, the engine. Unlike most Russian designs, the T-80BWM is equipped with a gas turbine providing maximum torque practically from zero, earning these tanks the nickname "flying." However, besides offering excellent mobility, it has drawbacks, including significantly hotter exhaust than diesel engines and more difficult maintenance.

Moreover, they are equipped with the advanced Sosna-U fire control system with a thermal sight. However, due to sanctions, French Catherine-FC thermal cameras are no longer used in wartime production and are most likely being replaced with lower-quality solutions from China.

The rest of the design, aside from adding more reactive armour blocks or an anti-drone roof with a jammer, remains largely unchanged. The greatest threat to the crew is the unisolated autoloader with its ammunition storage, which, if damaged, causes a powerful explosion, killing everyone inside. However, it is worth noting that these cases are rarer than in tanks from the T-72/T-90 family.