DPR militia seizes one of Ukraine’s rarest tanks

April 27, 2022 08:35 GMT+7

It is known that the Ukrainian offensive tank formation mainly uses T-64BV, while the reserve brigades use the old T-72. Increasing losses forced Kiev to “reactivate” the more advanced T-64BM Bulat, but only in theory. The author notes that the T-64BM never worked as advertised.

According to the video that has been circulating on social networks, it shows an abandoned “Bulat” on the battlefield. The 40-ton tank with dynamic armor and 125 mm main gun appeared to be undamaged.

“With a high probability, the DPR force will use this tank for its own purposes after a few minor repairs,” wrote David Ax.

According to the Forbes journalist, Kiev’s demand for tanks has increased and turned out to be more than the supply from Western countries can meet. But it would be difficult to see many “Bulat” in action, as not 100 were produced.

Observers say that the T-64BV will remain the most popular tank in Ukrainian service. The number of T-72s will increase when countries that support Kiev send old tanks to Ukraine.

T-64BM Bulat (also known as T-64U) was built by Ukraine on the basis of modernizing the famous Soviet T-64 tank, it was once considered the most advanced variant of the tank family. The famous T-64.

The heart of Bulat is a 5TDFM multi-fuel diesel engine with a maximum capacity of 850 horsepower, allowing it to run at a maximum speed of 70 km / h on asphalt, a journey distance of 385 km.

Armament of T-64BM Bulat includes 125 mm smoothbore cannon with automatic loader, 9K120 Refleks (AT-11 Sniper) or Ukrainian self-made Kombat, 1 anti-tank guided missile. 12.7 mm anti-aircraft machine gun and 1 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun.

Ukraine’s Ukroboronprom arms import and export corporation once confirmed that the main technical characteristics of the T-64BM Bulat can be compared with the Russian T-90S tank and close to the T-84 Oplot.

The cost of modernizing the T-64 to the Bulat variant is 4 times cheaper than the new production of T-84 Oplot tanks, so this was once the direction expected to be promoted by the Ukrainian military, similar to the the way the Russians are doing with the T-72B3 variant.

However, the events in Donbass in 2014-2015 showed a different picture: it turned out that the T-64BM Bulat main battle tank, in fact, had a lot of flaws.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine admit that, due to an increase in combat weight to 45 tons, the chassis began to work to its maximum and very often broke down. As a result, of the 85 vehicles of this model supplied to the army, 17 were irreparably damaged. Another significant number have various damage and breakdowns.

Peace (translation summary)