Armed Forces
Ukrainians Ready To Upgrade Their T-72 Tanks Up To The Polish PT-91 Twardy Variant
Ukrainian Ukroboronprom state company expressed its readiness to upgrade the T-72 tanks stored in the territory of Ukraine up to the PT-91 Twardy variant, “to meet the NATO standards” - as the press release published by the Ukroboronprom company reads.
According to the above-mentioned press release issued by the company, deputy director general dealing with Ukrobronprom’s operational activity, Yuri Pashchenko, stated that the concern is willing to modernize the old Ukrainian T-72 tanks and upgrade them up to the PT-91 Twardy standard, in order to meet the NATO requirements, which in the end would improve the defensive capabilities of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
At the moment, according to Pashchenko, “almost 300” T-72 tanks are being stored within the Ukrainian territory, however they are currently not being actively used by the Army. Operations Director General of the Ukroboronprom company stressed the fact that the Poles have offered an option of testing the PT-91 tanks for the Ukrainian military.
Ukrainian Armed Forces fighting in Donbass use mostly the T-64B tanks, some of which have been modernized up to the T-64BM standard. It was in February this year, when information has been released that training of the reserve forces in the Kharkiv area would involve both the T-64B, as well as the T-72 tanks. According to the earlier reports, plans had been made to deliver some T-72 tanks to the units of the National Guard.
The T-72B tanks are being widely used by the pro-Russian forces. The rebels also use the T-72B3 variant which is the latest derivative of that tank, utilized by the Russian military.