According to US media reports, a senior U.S. official said the United States is calling on NATO allies to supply Ukraine with main battle tanks, which are T-72s and other types of tanks left over from the Soviet era. The tanks would be used to counter-attack Russia and retake the eastern and southern regions occupied by Russian forces. The tanks are said to be delivered to Ukraine within a few days.
Similar news reports we have not seen for the first time, before the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, the United States also instigated Poland, the Czech Republic and other allies to provide MiG-29 fighters to Ukraine, but because these countries do not want to offend Russia, things have taken various reversals, and finally failed. At the time, the news was raging.
If it is true that NATO provided T-72 tanks to Ukraine this time, then this move means that NATO provides Ukraine with an upgrade in equipment level. In the past, NATO's weapons to aid Ukraine were mainly individual light weapons, and they were more inclined to defense, such as "Javelin" anti-tank missiles, "Stinger" anti-aircraft missiles, etc., which are individual defensive weapons with limited range. After all, Russia is powerful, and NATO's assistance still dare not be too arrogant. This time, NATO is ready to supply Ukraine with hundreds of T-72 tanks in a few days, which is an offensive weapon and the level of military assistance has been raised. NATO chose this time to supply Ukraine with offensive heavy weapons because the situation on the battlefield has changed. Russian troops withdrew from Kiev and other places a few days ago, seemingly from a full-scale offensive to a focus on the southeast, Ukraine believes that it is precisely because of their desperate resistance that led to the defeat of the Russian army, so NATO began to provide them with offensive weapons for counter-offensive.
It should be known that the number of T-72 tanks in NATO stocks is very large, which is much more than the MiG-29s in stock, with a total number of about 1100 vehicles. They were basically Soviet export versions of the T-72M tanks, and although they were subsequently upgraded, they were still inferior to the T-72B3 version currently used by Russia. Russia's latest model, the T72, is more advanced in armor, fire control and active defense than the export version. However, judging from the results of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, the Russian army lost at least 400 tanks, a considerable part of which were destroyed by Ukrainian tanks, so the stock of T72 tanks is still useful.
T-72B3
Nato countries currently armed with T-72 tanks include Poland with 382 tanks, Bulgaria with 410 (250 of which are in reserve), Hungary with 164 (of which 130 are in reserve), Slovakia with 20 and the Czech Republic with 116 (of which 66 are in reserve).
The country most likely to aid Ukraine is Poland, which has long been at the forefront of anti-Russianism. Poland has a total of 863 tanks, and has also ordered 250 M1A2 Abrams tanks, the first tanks delivered this year, even if all 382 T-72 tanks are supplied to Ukraine, Poland will have alternative tanks. In addition, Poland can also produce its own P-91 tanks, which were developed on the basis of the T-72M1, and some are simply refurbished and upgraded versions of the T-72M1. Compared to the original T-72M1, the P-91 tank has improved the fire control system, upgraded the engine, and installed new reactive armor.
PT91
Although Bulgaria and the Czech Republic do not have a small number of T72 tanks in service, they have a large number of reserve tanks, which have also been partially upgraded, so they may also be available to Ukraine. However, unlike Poland, the main tank of these two countries is the T-72, and no other substitutes have been purchased, and if they are wanted to aid the Ukrainian T-72 tanks, it is likely that similar to the last miG-29 for the F-16, the United States will replace their old T-72 tanks with new tanks, and then provide the T-72 to Ukraine, and Slovakia may also participate in this operation.
Hungary also has a considerable reserve, with 130 T-72M1s sealed in warehouses. At the same time, they ordered 44 Leopard 2A7 tanks from Germany to replace the old T-72M1, but Hungary's relations with Russia were much better than those of other NATO members, so Hungary should not participate in the U.S. plan.
Czech T72M
The US media said that NATO provided the stock of T-72 tanks to Ukraine, which is a good choice for Ukraine, because Ukraine does not need too much training to use, and Ukraine also has a lot of spare parts, logistics maintenance will be very convenient, and Ukraine is also good at upgrading T-72 tanks, so this is a logical option.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukraine inherited 1000 to 1320 T-72 tanks, but between 1992 and 2015, Ukraine exported 863 T-72 tanks to third countries, using more T-64 and T-80 tanks, and it is clear that the Ukrainian army prefers these two tanks. But there is always better than nothing, although only some old tanks.
If the aid is true, it is not good news for Russia, which is not rich, which means that NATO support has been upgraded, even the main battle tanks have been supported, then other heavy equipment may also be ready to be provided to Ukraine. Whatever way these tanks will be delivered to Ukraine, and whether they are obsolete or not, they will become Ukraine's armored force against Russia.