Help and harm: T-72M/M1 tanks for Ukraine
Echelon with Czech equipment
The Ukrainian authorities are begging foreign partners for military-technical assistance of various kinds. In particular, they wish to receive foreign Tanks and other armored vehicles. In early April, Poland and the Czech Republic responded to such requests and began delivering main tanks. At the same time, the shipment is carried out from storage bases, as a result of which the long-obsolete T-72M and T-72M1 in poor technical condition are sent to Ukraine.
Supply Processes
During February and March, Kyiv's European partners, despite all its requests, were limited only to the supply of infantry weapons, ammunition, etc. However, by the beginning of April, the situation began to change, and soon they began to talk, at a minimum, about the fundamental possibility of transferring armored vehicles of various classes to Ukraine. Then, several countries immediately began the actual shipment of equipment.
In early April, it became known from the Czech parliamentarians that their country was preparing for the transfer of a certain number of tanks and infantry fighting vehicles. The Czech Ministry of Defense confirmed the fact of military assistance to Ukraine, but did not disclose plans for armored vehicles.
However, the situation soon cleared up. On April 5, photos and videos appeared confirming the start of deliveries of armored vehicles. A train with five T-72M tanks and the same number of BVP-1 infantry fighting vehicles left the Czech Republic for Ukraine. It is reported that the equipment was provided by the company Excalibur Army, engaged in the resale of military equipment. Soon she will ship new batches of equipment, as a result of which the Ukrainian army will receive up to 40 tanks.
On April 13, there were reports about the start of deliveries of equipment from Poland. Like the Czech Republic, the Polish side is handing over T-72M tanks and its version of the BMP-1. Transportation of equipment is carried out by road using tank trailers. According to known data, the transferred tanks belong to the Polish army and were previously located at the storage base in Lublin. In total, they plan to transfer 100 MBTs.
Thus, in recent days, Ukraine has received at least a dozen T-72M tanks from two neighboring states. At the same time, we are only talking about the beginning of deliveries, and over the next few weeks, Poland and the Czech Republic plan to transfer about 140 tanks and dozens of armored vehicles of other classes.
It should be noted that these are not the first deliveries of foreign tanks to the Ukrainian army. In mid-February, the Beregini hacker group published curious documents about Czech-Ukrainian military-technical cooperation. According to these papers, in recent years, the Czech company STV Group, which sells former army property, sent 31 T-72M products to Ukraine. Now those tanks are being followed by new ones.
Export modification
Poland and the Czech Republic have a fairly large tank fleet. There are hundreds of armored vehicles of various models and types in combat units and in storage. At the same time, both countries chose T-72M tanks to be sent to Ukraine. The reasons for this choice are simple and understandable - and are hardly related to the desire to help the Ukrainian army.
Czech T-72M on the way
Recall that the main tank T-72M is an export version of the Soviet T-72A. MBT modification "A" was created and went into production in 1979, and its version for foreign countries appeared a year later. In 1982, the modernization was carried out under the designation T-72M1, which included a number of small innovations.
The production of export T-72 tanks was carried out by Soviet industry and enterprises of several foreign countries. One of the main manufacturers and customers of such equipment were Poland and Czechoslovakia. They were able to create a large fleet of tanks, and some of the equipment received and built is still in service. Other machines were put into storage or even sold abroad.
In 2019, the Polish army issued a contract to the industry for a “minor modernization” of 230 existing T-72M / M1 tanks. It provided for the repair and replacement of part of the fire control devices. At the same time, cardinal alterations and innovations were not planned. In particular, it was supposed to leave the same armament and protection. To date, it has been possible to update some of the tanks, but most of them retain their previous configuration.
Outdated Skin
The T-72M/M1 was one of the first serial modifications of the T-72 MBT, and besides, it was an export vehicle. All this was reflected in the technical appearance, characteristics and capabilities. In its original form, the export MBT was inferior to the basic design, and further domestic development projects for the T-72 only increased this gap.
Transportation of Polish tanks
According to known data, the T-72M for third countries received a simplified and less powerful reservation. The combined protection of the frontal projection received a different filler, which reduced the overall resistance. In the future, T-72s of other modifications were equipped with more advanced types of armor and received dynamic protection. On the Polish and Czech T-72Ms, such solutions and components were not implemented, and the tank of the M1 version received improved turret armor and an additional plate on the forehead of the hull.
The T-72A and T-72M were the first in their family to receive the 2A46 gun. For use with it, a whole line of 125-mm shots of separate-sleeve loading for various purposes was offered. However, those shells are long outdated, and only Russia has a modern replacement for them.
The fire control system on the T-72M / M1 initially included day and night (illuminated) sights and a number of other devices. It met the requirements of its time, but over the past time has become obsolete. This problem was attempted to be solved in a recent Polish modernization project through the use of modern devices of its own production.
It is also necessary to pay attention to the age of the available equipment and resource consumption. The newest of the Czech and Polish T-72M / M1 were built in the early nineties and will soon celebrate their 30th anniversary, but the average age of the entire fleet is much higher. To continue the operation of such equipment, medium or major repairs are required, and even such measures will not be able to fundamentally extend the service life.
Polish Minister of Defense M. Blaszczak signs an order for the modernization of the T-72M / M1, July 2021
useless help
Thus, the main goal of the start of deliveries of Polish and Czech MBTs becomes clear. Warsaw and Prague plan, first of all, to get rid of outdated and unusable armored vehicles, as well as to free up space at storage bases. In addition, such assistance creates for them the image of allies supporting Ukraine. And the correct design of this "help" will allow you to earn on the sale of illiquid assets.
In the coming weeks, the two countries may transfer up to 140 obsolete tanks to Ukraine. The first of them are already being prepared to return to service and, apparently, are facing serious problems. To restore the previous qualities and characteristics of the machine, they need to be repaired. Whether the remnants of Ukrainian industry will be able to fulfill it is a big question.
Some technical details are known. So, almost immediately information appeared, according to which fire control systems do not work on Czech MBTs. A photograph was also published with several imported tanks, on the trunks of which there is an inscription "marriage". With all this, tanks from storage have an unpresentable appearance, damage to external units, etc.
The first batches of Polish and Czech tanks turned out to be in poor condition and there is reason to believe that the next deliveries will be the same. And this creates big problems for the Ukrainian army. If it wants to reinforce its tank units with foreign equipment, it will have to organize a process of repair and restoration - with limited production capacity and under constant threat.
The management of the Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa SA enterprise and the T-72M tank
However, the successful repair of tanks and bringing them to their original form will not give any serious advantages. T-72M / M1 are morally obsolete and now they are not the most difficult target for tanks, aviation or anti-tank systems. Repaired imported MBTs will face the same fate as other armored vehicles of the Ukrainian army, which were previously destroyed as part of forceful demilitarization.
Harm in a friendly way
Thus, European countries talk about their desire to help Ukraine in its fight against Russia and even supply it with military products. However, not all such deliveries give the desired result or at least make sense. Thus, Poland and the Czech Republic announced their intention to transfer a large number of tanks and infantry fighting vehicles to the Ukrainian army and have already made the first deliveries.
However, a close examination of such “help” at the theoretical and practical level reveals that it is, at best, useless for the recipient. Moreover, along with obsolete tanks, the Ukrainian army gets a number of specific problems, for the solution of which it does not have the time, effort and resources.
It is obvious that Prague and Warsaw, launching the supply of armored vehicles, are pursuing only their own goals, and they are unlikely to be concerned about potential problems for Ukraine. However, such a policy is expected and fits into the general logic of the actions of foreign countries. And besides, it weakens the Ukrainian army and contributes to its demilitarization - but now this process will be accompanied by new losses and victims.
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