Captured Russian T-62 Tanks With Upgraded Grilles, Armor Deployed By Ukraine

Ukraine has captured so many Soviet-era T-62 tanks from Russian forces - many of the them abandoned - that they have begun to upgrade them with new anti-drone grills and reactive armor in order to put them to use. JL

Sofiia Syngaivska reports in Defense Express:

Ukrainian National Guard tank crews are preparing T-62 tanks for combat deployment against Russian forces with additional protective modifications with “barbecue grille” armor and the Kontakt-1 explosive reactive armor blocks. Ukrainian forces have captured approximately 44 T-62 tanks, many of which were abandoned by Russian troops. The T-62 tank’s main armament, the 2A20 smoothbore gun, uses non-standard 115 mm caliber, making ammunition scarce and further restricting their use.

The Mykolaiv Regiment of Public Order Protection of the National Guard of Ukraine has released pictures from their tank platoon’s recent training exercise at a firing range. These images prominently feature modified T-62 tanks, equipped with “barbecue grille” armor and the Kontakt-1 explosive reactive armor blocks.

According to the information accompanying the photos, the National Guard tank crews are preparing these T-62 tanks for potential combat deployment against russian forces, which justifies additional protective modifications. The appearance of captured T-62 tanks in Ukrainian military service is a rare occurrence, making these pictures particularly significant. Notably, the tanks in the training images were shown without added “barbecue grilles” or Kontakt-1 blocks, suggesting they may have been used solely for training purposes.

It’s important to recall that the T-62 tank was last observed in Ukrainian service during April 2024, when newly-formed mechanized brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine conducted training exercises. The rarity of captured T-62 tanks in Ukrainian units has been widely discussed, but several key factors should be reiterated to underscore the significance of their appearance in the National Guard’s operations.

Captured T-62M tank, 2024 / Photo credit: The 154th Separate Mechanized Brigade

First, open-source intelligence estimates that Ukrainian forces have captured approximately 44 T-62 tanks, many of which were abandoned by russian troops due to damage. This has limited their operational viability. Furthermore, the T-62 tank’s main armament, the 2A20 smoothbore gun, uses non-standard 115 mm caliber, making ammunition scarce and further restricting their use.

 

There was also a proposal to convert the T-62 tank into an infantry fighting vehicle by mounting the BMP-2 turret, but this idea appears to have been constrained by resource limitations.