Profile
- Type
- Main battle tank
- Conflict side
- Ukraine
- Origin
- Ukraine
- Service note
- Entered Ukrainian service in 1999; BM Oplot adopted in 2009
Tanks
T-84 Oplot
The T-84 Oplot is a Ukrainian main battle tank developed from the diesel-engined T-80UD line, combining a three-person crew, autoloaded 125 mm gun, 1,200 hp diesel powerpack, explosive reactive armor, and Ukrainian fire-control upgrades. Produced in very small numbers for Ukraine compared with export production, the BM Oplot variant has been documented in Ukrainian combat service during the Russia-Ukraine War.
Service History
- In service
- Ukrainian service from 1999; BM Oplot adopted in 2009
- Used by
- Ukrainian Armed Forces, Royal Thai Army
- Wars
- Russia-Ukraine War
Production History
- Designer
- Kharkiv Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau
- Designed
- 1990s T-80UD development line
- Built in
- Ukraine
- Unit cost
- Reported at about $4.7 million for an Oplot in 2017
- Produced
- Limited production from the late 1990s; export Oplot-T deliveries continued into the 2010s
- Number built
- Small Ukrainian fleet; 49 Oplot-T tanks exported to Thailand
- Variants
- T-84, T-84U Oplot, BM Oplot, Oplot-T, T-84-120 Yatagan
Specifications
- Crew
- 3
- Armament
- Stabilized 125 mm KBA3 smoothbore gun with autoloader, 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun, and 12.7 mm anti-aircraft machine gun
- Weight
- About 48,000 kg for T-84 Oplot; nearly 50 tonnes reported for modernized Ukrainian T-84s
- Mobility
- 6TD-2 diesel engine rated at 1,200 hp; road speed commonly listed at 65-70 km/h
- Range
- About 450 km according to Army Recognition specifications
- Protection
- Multilayer armor with explosive reactive armor and electro-optical countermeasures
- Dimensions
- Approximately 7.70 m hull length, 3.77 m width, and 2.76 m height
Conflict Usage
- Russia-Ukraine War
- Side: Ukraine
Ukrainian forces publicly showed a BM Oplot, the latest T-84-series tank, in combat service with the Third Separate Tank Brigade during the defense of Kharkiv Oblast in August 2024.
T-84 Oplot Images
Related Weapon Systems
T-80Main battle tankThe T-80 is a Soviet-designed main battle tank built around a compact three-man layout, autoloaded 125 mm gun, and gas-turbine mobility in most major variants. In the Russia-Ukraine War it appears on both sides: Russia has deployed T-80BV, T-80U, and T-80BVM-family tanks, and Ukraine has operated captured Russian T-80s alongside its own armored forces.
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.
PT-91 TwardyMain battle tankThe 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.
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.
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.Sources
T-84 OplotPublisher: Army Recognition | Note: Supports T-84 Oplot background, KMDB development context, armament, crew, protection, mobility, dimensions, and user specifications. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Malyshev Plant, Morozov Design Bureau to Supply New Batch of Modernized T-84 Tanks to Ukraine's Armed ForcesPublisher: KyivPost / Interfax-Ukraine | Note: Supports Ukrainian service, Malyshev/KMDB repair and modernization roles, and reported T-84 armament, engine, speed, and protection details. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Ukraine's Tanks Are So Good, Its Own Army Can't Afford ThemPublisher: Hromadske | Note: Supports procurement and production background, including reported Oplot cost, Malyshev Plant export production, and the limits on Ukrainian Army procurement. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Oplot Tank Shown in Combat on Kharkiv Front by Ukrainian ForcesPublisher: The New Voice of Ukraine | Note: Directly supports Russia-Ukraine War use by Ukrainian forces, including the Third Separate Tank Brigade and Kharkiv Oblast defense context. | Accessed: 2026-06-20BM Oplot, Kyiv 2018, 02.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page for a BM Oplot photographed in Kyiv in 2018 under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0. | Accessed: 2026-06-20BM Oplot, Kyiv 2018, 04.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page for an additional BM Oplot gallery image from Kyiv in 2018. | Accessed: 2026-06-20