Is Ukraine Now Using Putin’s ‘Best Tank in the World’ in Kursk?

A Russian T-90M tank with Ukrainian operational markings was spotted in Ukraine’s Sumy region, near the Russian border with the incursion into Russia’s Kursk region ongoing. 

A week after the Kursk incursion started, AFP photographer Roman Pilipey photographed the tank, on Wednesday, Aug. 14. It was marked with the white triangles, that have become a feature of Ukraine’s move into the Kursk region to distinguish its vehicles from Russian forces, and with the word “Pirozhok” – meaning meat pie in Ukrainian – written on the side.

OSINTechnical, an open-source war analyst, identified the armored vehicle as a Russian T-90M, which entered into service in 2020, and that Russian President Vladimir Putin praised as “the best tank in the world,” in 2023.

Oryx, a Dutch open-source intelligence defense analysis website, confirmed that Russia has lost 103 of the tanks in the war in Ukraine, with five having been confirmed as captured by Ukrainian troops.

In July, troops from Ukraine’s Hunting Brigade captured a Russian T-90M tank, according to reports by the Khortytsia operational and strategic group of troops. In doing so they said the newly captured tank would “mercilessly destroy their previous owners.”

The T-90M tank is a highly modernized version of the T-90 tank, featuring additional protection, a new fire control system, and an upgraded engine and transmission. These are upgrades of both the T-90 and T-90A tanks, which have been in service with the Russian army since the 1990s.

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An even newer version, the Russian T-90 “Proryv” features the latest 125 mm gun with stabilization, complex multi-layered combined armor, and advanced electronic systems including panoramic sights, a thermal imager, and encrypted digital communication.

The value of the T-90M has been undeclared, but one common estimate puts it at about $4.5 million. The tanks are likely produced by the Russians in small quantities of only 5-10 units per month.