Uncommon Tanks from the Russo-Ukrainian War

~ Sebastianul

Source: Tanks Encyclopedia Twitter

The open conflict between Russia and Ukraine which started on February 24 has seen a number of uncommon vehicles, from prototypes or rare production vehicles to field conversions, used and even lost. This post will attempt to list and classify some of them.
The Kevlar-E is an Ukrainian IFV prototype based on the 2S1 SPG chassis. The prototype was unveiled in 2020. It has been spotted driving on a number of occasions from February 26 onward in Kharkiv, where it was presumably built and stored, as Russian forces approached the city.

A 2S1 converted into a ZU-23-2 carrier, with the turret removed, was captured by Ukrainian forces in Luhansk oblast on February 26. This vehicle is presumably a conversion performed by the separatist, pro-Russian Luhansk People’s Republic forces.

The 2S34 Hosta is an uncommon upgrade of the 2S1, notably using a new, semi-automatic 120 mm gun. Unveiled in 2014, only small numbers, maybe around 30, are believed to be in use by Russia. One was abandoned, and then captured by Ukrainian forces, being photographed on March 13.

An Ukrainian BMP-1 upgraded with the Spys combat module (called BMP-1T or BMP-1TS) was lost in Makariv, Kyiv Oblast, on March 4 (sometimes reported as March 12). This is a rare upgrade, thought to have been developed for export & only in very limited service.

An MT-LB fitted with the 120mm mortar-armed turret of a 2S9 Nona was seen seemingly around March 22. This conversion presumably belongs to the separatist forces of either Luhansk or Donetsk

A Russian T-80 equipped with Drozd 2 APS prototype (T-80UM2) was destroyed in Sumy Oblast (near Trostyanets) on March 17. It was presumably in regular Russian Army service alongside standard T-80s for some time, but is believed to have been an unique vehicle.

The T-64B1M is an Ukrainian upgrade to the T-64B fitted with additional Nozh ERA and a turret stowage basket. 50 were upgraded and sold to the DR Congo, but only 25 were delivered, the other were seized by Ukraine. One was lost on March 16. Others are likely still being used.
This video of protestors from March 1 shows a Russian MT-LB upgraded with Kontakt-1 Explosive Reactive Armor. This an uncommon vehicle to fit ERA (the MT-LB is too lightly armored to support it, and it is likely to compromise the vehicle’s armor if it is triggered)

Since the start of the conflict some Russian MT-LBs have been seen with mounts for thermobaric RPO rocket launchers, both in the South (V marker, pic from March 13 or earlier) and the North/Kyiv oblast (Z marker, February 27) of Ukraine

First sighting of Ukrainian T-72AMT tanks (T-72 upgrade unveiled in 2017 , includes Nozh ERA, new gun-launched ATGMs, new engine and other features, only applied in small number, at most ~50 tanks, likely much less), lost in Chernihiv oblast, March 22

As of March 22, 3 T-80UK, a very rare command variant of the T-80U fitted with Shtora countermeasures, have been lost by Russian forces in Ukraine. 1st & 2nd pic: Abandoned and later destroyed in Sumy Oblast, February 27 3rd Pic: Captured by Ukrainian forces on March 21

A Russian MT-LBM 6MB (MT-LB fitted with the 30 mm-armed BPPU turret from a BTR-80A/BTR-82) was lost in Ukraine on March 5. This is a somewhat uncommon upgrade to the MT-LB, which serves as a workhorse in this invasion.

An Ukrainian BTR-3M2 120mm self-propelled mortar was captured by Russian forces in Hostomel, Kyiv Oblast. It was first seen on March 21 but is thought to have been captured earlier, perhaps in the conflict’s first days. This uncommon artillery vehicle has been in use since 2014.

A motorized tricycle armed with a Maxim M1910 machine-gun, seen in use by Donetsk forces in Donbass on March 22. This archaic vehicle does showcase that the old Maxim machine-gun is still fairly widely used in this war; it is still workable as long as you don’t have to haul it.

UAZ Patriot pickups turned into 152 mm 9M133-Kornet ATGM technicals have been spotted in use by Russian forces since early into the conflict, notably around Kharkiv. This is a simple conversion which appears to be somewhat commonly employed by the Russian Army.

On February 24, Russian Rosgvardiya Spetnatz (special troops, mostly trained for COIN/security rather than high-intensity warfare) were seen operating with an RKhM ”Kashalot”, MT-LB-based chemical reconnaissance vehicle.

Up-armored (additional side-skirt) BMP-1 seen in use early in the war, perhaps by separatist forces.

As of today (March 25) Russian forces have captured a seemingly intact T-72AMT in Kyiv oblast, the second they capture. Out of all “uncommon” Ukrainian tanks the T-72AMT appears to be the only one we are seeing footage of as of now.

6 thoughts on “Uncommon Tanks from the Russo-Ukrainian War”

  2. I like that lots of those tanks were converted in cabrio cars by those nice ukrainians. And it was a bargain , it was only for some russian fertilizer 😁

    1. Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahaha. Get ready to be conscripted and then die heroically in Ukraine, Putler fanboy 🤣

    2. What justification do you have for Russia to invade another country (like NAZI Germany did)?

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