Upgraded T-80BVM tanks have been supplied to the Russian army units in the Zaporozhye direction for the first time since the start of the military operation in Ukraine, a Russian tank unit commander said on Thursday.
"We have received a completely new vehicle. The vehicle has a fundamentally new communication system ... It cannot be jammed, it works very well. Its sound is high-quality, clear, there are no interruptions. The machine is also equipped with a completely new protection system," he told reporters.
The officer also said that additional armor modules were installed on the tank, enabling it to withstand strikes from drones and anti-tank missiles. The reliability and maneuverability of the new T-80BVM tank are also superior compared with other tanks, such as the German-made Leopard tanks.
"The same Leopards are drowning in the mud, they are constantly, constantly drowning. We can observed from drones how they are being taken out [of the mud]. Our vehicle has a gas turbine engine, it is not afraid of mud or slush, it flies over all potholes. This is the difference that allows our tank units to operate in any weather, support infantry and overcome enemy trenches and dugouts without slowing down," he said.
On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that over 1,600 tanks could be produced and repaired in the country in 2024, while Ukraine had received a total of around 450 tanks from Western countries.