Ukrainians capture abandoned Russian T‑80 tanks in Kursk surprise attack

Using the element of surprise, the Ukrainians advanced over 19 miles into Russian positions. In the initial chaos, the Russians tried to stop the Ukrainians with whatever forces were available in the area. Some units put up fierce resistance, while others deserted or surrendered.

The latter category even includes the crews of modern tanks such as the T-72B3 and T-80BWM. In the case of the latter, it was found by the Ukrainians in full combat-ready condition, as it was fueled and fully loaded with ammunition.

The T-80BWM tanks are among the newest machines in Russia’s military arsenal. Their production began in 2017, and before the invasion of Ukraine, Russia had around 200 tanks of this type. According to the "The Military Balance 2021" report, their number was estimated at 190 units in 2020.

These machines were created, like other Russian tanks, through the deep overhaul of older tanks such as the T-80BW. Considering the losses of these older, refurbished tanks to replenish the losses, currently, increasingly older versions are forming the base for the BWM.

During the war, Russia lost at least 156 T-80BWM tanks, considering pre-war production as well as the depleted wartime production, as confirmed by video and photo materials collected by the Oryxspioenkop group.

Structurally, the T-80BWM is a modernized version of the older T-80BW, which in turn is a deep evolution of the T-64 tanks. The modernization involves the complete overhaul of old units and the adaptation of the ammunition storage to use longer APFSDS rounds. Moreover, these tanks were equipped with an electric turret rotation mechanism and dual-layer Relikt reactive armor, ensuring protection against advanced tandem-warhead shaped charges.

However, the most important element of this modernization is the advanced Sosna-U fire control system, which uses third-generation Catherine-FC thermal cameras, produced by the French company Thales. Since the imposition of sanctions on Russia, these have become unavailable, forcing them to use alternative solutions with inferior performance sourced from other origins.

T-80BWM tanks are better armored than tanks from the T-72 and T-90 families. With the new reactive armor, these vehicles can withstand several hits from FPV drones and anti-tank guided missiles, as shown in available video materials. Although there are weak points where a hit can cause the ammunition to detonate and kill the crew, such cases are rarer than in T-72/T-90 family tanks.

One of the unique features of the T-80BWM tanks is its gas turbine engine, which provides better responsiveness compared to traditional diesel engines. Due to the immediate achievement of maximum torque, this tank has earned the nickname "flying tank" in Russia.