Views: 15
DEFENCE BLOG
Ukrainian soldiers have successfully captured a cutting-edge Russian T-80BVM tank near the city of Sudzha in the Kursk region.
The tank, reportedly in perfect working condition, was seized by Ukrainian paratroopers from the 80th Air Assault Brigade in cooperation with operatives from the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).
Yuriy Butusov, an independent combat correspondent and head of Censor.net, one of Ukraine’s most widely-read information platforms, reported the event on August 10. According to Butusov, the operation involved a team of Ukrainian soldiers with call signs Mekhan, Fox, Yevrey, Coach, and Zhora. They discovered and seized the Russian tank, which had been lying in wait as part of an ambush.
The T-80BVM, a modernized version of the Soviet-era T-80, is one of the latest armored vehicles in the Russian arsenal. The captured tank, manufactured in 2023, was found fully fueled and armed. The tank was part of the Russian Airborne Forces (VDV), known for their elite status within the Russian military.
“The T-80BVM was positioned in a tank ambush, but the ambush was detected in time,” Butusov wrote. “Ukrainian paratroopers and counterintelligence officers once again proved to be more resilient than the Russian airborne troops.”
The T-80BVM is equipped with advanced features, including a more powerful engine, upgraded fire control systems, and improved armor, making it a valuable asset on the battlefield.
The operation near Sudzha is part of the broader conflict in the Russian region, where Ukrainian forces continue to engage Russian troops in a complex and dynamic combat environment.