Ukrainian soldiers from the 92nd Assault Brigade captured a Russian T-80BVM tank fitted with an improvised anti-drone cage, the brigade reported on 13 January. The vehicle is wrapped in a frame of mesh and steel cables that gives it a "porcupine" or "hedgehog" appearance.
Coordinated assault secures the trophy
The Brigade reported that its tank battalion worked together with fighters from its 1st Assault Battalion to disable and capture the Russian vehicle. The 92nd Assault Brigade said the seizure demonstrates effective coordination between its units and the professional training of its personnel.
"Honor to us. Glory to Ukraine," the Brigade wrote in its announcement.
It is at least the 36th T-80BVM seized by Ukrainian forces since 2022, according to Oryx equipment losses tracker data cited by Militarnyi.
The captured tank features what Ukrainian and Russian crews call a "mangal" ("BBQ grill") — a frame constructed from mesh and steel cable designed to prematurely detonate FPV drone warheads before they reach the armor, Militarnyi noted. The improvised structure covers the sides and rear of the turret as well as the engine and transmission compartment. The tank also carries Kontakt-1 explosive reactive armor blocks on its front and sides, with Relikt reactive armor protecting the turret.
Upgraded variant from Omsk plant
According to Militarnyi, the T-80BVM is a modernized version of the T-80BV developed at Russia's Omsk Transport Machine-Building Plant. It mounts a 125 mm 2A46M-4 cannon with a 2E58 weapon stabilizer and a TVN-5 driver observation device. The loading mechanism was modified to handle depleted uranium armor-piercing ammunition — specifically the 3BM59 Svinets-1 and 3BM60 Svinets-2 rounds. The tank received an R-168-25U-2 Akveduk UHF radio for improved command communication and runs on a modernized GTD-1250 gas turbine engine.
