Solutions to win: Newly created Ukrainian brigade armed with Polish tanks

The Ukrainian Armed Forces have equipped the newly formed 117th Separate Mechanized Brigade, established in 2023, with Polish PT-91 tanks, Rubryka reports, citing the 10th Army Corps.

What's the problem?

Ukraine's armed forces have been resisting Russian aggression for almost two years. In addition to various military equipment, defense forces require a substantial number of tanks. Tanks play a crucial role in providing firepower support and cover during military advances on the battlefield. The more tanks the Ukrainian Armed Forces have, the fewer casualties among infantry troops. Effectively deploying tanks ensures mobile firepower, protection, shock capabilities, and an element of surprise. If used in abundance, tanks can dismantle enemy defenses. 

Most Ukrainian Leopard 2A6 tanks provided by Germany are currently non-operational.

"Unfortunately, only a small number of delivered tanks can still be used by Ukraine," said German deputy Sebastian Schäfer. He attributes the problem of restoring damaged equipment to a lack of spare parts and damage caused by inadequate repairs from Ukrainian mechanics.

According to the deputy, another reason for delays in armored vehicle restoration is the absence of proper repair facilities within the country. He notes that for repairs, the equipment has to be transported to Lithuania, where the Lithuania Defense Services (LDS) Technical Maintenance Center, a joint venture of KMW and Rheinmetall, is located.

What's the solution?

The 117th Separate Mechanized Brigade, established just last February, received Twardy tanks. As Ukraine significantly bolstered its forces last year to repel the Russian invasion, the brigade, as of the end of February 2023, consisted of over 3,000 personnel armed with modern equipment and weapons.

How does it work?

The transfer of these tanks aims to strengthen the armored forces of the new brigade. Typically, PT-91 tanks engage the enemy from concealed positions, mainly targeting Russian infantry.

The main battle tank of the Polish army, PT-91, was manufactured based on a licensed variant of the Soviet T-72M1 combat vehicle. The relatively new tank, with prototypes made as late as 1993, was serially produced at the Bumar Labedy plant until 2002. The PT-91 features modern fire control and communication systems, and its protection is additionally reinforced with suspended dynamic armor.

Equipped with an 850 hp PZL-Wola S-12U diesel engine of domestic production, these Polish tanks were used in the Zaporizhzhia front in December. In January 2023, Polish Prime Minister Morawiecki announced plans to transfer 60 tanks to Ukraine, including 30 PT-91 Twardy machines.

As a reminder, since the beginning of 2023, the Security Service of Ukraine has eliminated over 500 Russian tanks that shelled and attempted to breach the positions of the Defense Forces.