Profile
- Type
- Main battle tank
- Conflict side
- Ukraine
- Origin
- Poland
- Service note
- Entered Polish service in the mid-1990s; transferred to Ukraine during the Russia-Ukraine War
Tanks
PT-91 Twardy
The PT-91 Twardy is a Polish main battle tank developed from the T-72M1 with domestic upgrades including ERAWA explosive reactive armor, improved fire-control equipment, and an 850 hp diesel powerpack. In the Russia-Ukraine War it represents a Polish-supplied T-72-family tank type used to expand Ukraine's armored force with a familiar three-crew, autoloaded 125 mm platform.
- Conflict side
- Ukraine
- Built by
- Bumar-Labedy
- Built in
- Poland
Service History
- In service
- Polish service from the 1990s; transferred to Ukraine from 2022
- Used by
- Polish Armed Forces, Ukrainian Armed Forces
- Wars
- Russia-Ukraine War
Production History
- Designer
- OBRUM / Polish T-72 modernization program
- Designed
- Early 1990s
- Built by
- Bumar-Labedy
- Built in
- Poland
- Produced
- 1990s-2000s
- Variants
- PT-91, PT-91MA, PT-91MA1, PT-91M Pendekar
Specifications
- Crew
- 3
- Armament
- 125 mm smoothbore main gun with 7.62 mm coaxial and 12.7 mm anti-aircraft machine guns
- Weight
- About 45.3 tonnes
- Mobility
- 850 hp diesel engine; about 60 km/h road speed and 650 km road range
- Protection
- Steel armor with Polish ERAWA-1/ERAWA-2 explosive reactive armor and NBC protection equipment
- Dimensions
- About 9.67 m long with gun forward, 3.59 m wide, and 2.19 m high
Conflict Usage
- Russia-Ukraine War
- Side: Ukraine
Poland transferred PT-91 Twardy main battle tanks to Ukraine after Russia's full-scale invasion, with later Polish statements identifying PT-91s among additional modernized tanks pledged for Ukrainian forces.
PT-91 Twardy Images
Related Weapon Systems
Leopard 1A5Main battle tankThe Leopard 1A5 is a German main battle tank modernization centered on improved fire control, thermal sighting, and the 105 mm L7-series gun. In the Russia-Ukraine War, refurbished A5-family tanks from European industrial stocks give Ukrainian armored units a lighter Western tank with good mobility and logistics support, but less passive protection than newer Leopard 2 variants.
M-55SUpgraded T-55 main battle tankThe M-55S is Slovenia's modernized T-55 main battle tank, rebuilt by ST Ravne with a 105 mm gun, explosive reactive armor, fire-control upgrades, laser-warning equipment, and NATO-compatible ammunition. During the Russia-Ukraine War, Slovenia committed 28 M-55S tanks to Ukraine through a ring exchange with Germany, making the type a legacy Soviet chassis adapted for Western-supported Ukrainian armored forces.
Strv 122Main battle tankThe Strv 122 is Sweden's upgraded Leopard 2 main battle tank, adapted for Swedish service with reinforced protection, Swedish communications, smoke launchers, and a four-person crew. Sweden transferred ten tanks to Ukraine in 2023, pairing the donation with training for Ukrainian crews before the vehicles were fielded in the Russia-Ukraine War.
Challenger 2Main battle tankThe Challenger 2 is a British third-generation main battle tank built around a rifled 120 mm gun, heavy composite armor, and four-person crew operations. In the Russia-Ukraine War, the United Kingdom supplied a small squadron to Ukraine as one of the first Western main battle tank transfers of the full-scale invasion.
T-54/T-55Main battle tank / medium tank familyThe T-54/T-55 is a Soviet tank family built around a low-profile tracked hull, four-person crew, and 100 mm D-10-series gun. It became one of the most widely produced tank families of the Cold War, with Soviet and licensed production spreading across Warsaw Pact and partner states. In the Russia-Ukraine War, its renewed appearance with Russian forces has been notable because it illustrates Russia drawing on very old armored reserves for secondary fire-support or positional roles rather than fielding a modern main battle tank capability.
T-62Main battle tankThe T-62 is a Soviet main battle tank built around a 115 mm smoothbore gun, a four-person crew, and conventional tracked armor layout. Designed by the Uralvagonzavod design bureau as a successor to the T-54/T-55 family, it became a major Cold War Soviet tank and later reappeared in Russia's war against Ukraine as older T-62M and T-62MV variants were pulled from storage to supplement Russian armored forces.Sources
PT-91 TwardyPublisher: Army Recognition | Note: Supports PT-91 Twardy background, configuration, users, armament, dimensions, weight, speed, range, and protection data. | Accessed: 2026-06-20PT-91 Twardy (Main battle tank)Publisher: Army Guide | Note: Supports background on the T-72M1-derived modernization, ERAWA armor, and 125 mm armament. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Tank PT-91 ExPublisher: Bumar-Labedy | Note: Manufacturer page for a PT-91 derivative; identifies Bumar-Labedy's PT-91 export-family work and comparison to Polish Army PT-91 Twardy. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Poland delivers batch of PT-91 Twardy tanks to UkrainePublisher: Ukrinform | Note: Directly supports Russia-Ukraine War conflict-use context: Polish PT-91 Twardy tanks were transferred to Ukraine in 2022. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Poland is ready to transfer PT-91 Twardy and Leopard 2 tanks to UkrainePublisher: Militarnyi | Note: Directly supports Russia-Ukraine War conflict-use context: Poland said a 60-tank package for Ukraine included 30 PT-91 tanks. | Accessed: 2026-06-20File:POL PT91 Twardy.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Primary image provenance and CC BY 3.0 licensing context. | Accessed: 2026-06-20File:PT91 Twardy MSPO09.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Gallery image provenance and CC BY-SA 3.0 licensing context. | Accessed: 2026-06-20