- Category
- Latest news
M-84A4 Snajper: Croatia’s Upgraded Tanks Spotted in Action With Ukraine’s 141st Brigade
Ukrainian troops have begun fielding Croatian-supplied M-84 tanks in combat, with newly released footage confirming their battlefield debut. The tanks, delivered in a modernized Snajper configuration, represent a significant reinforcement for Ukraine’s armored forces.
- Authors
![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
Ukrainian soldiers from the 141st Mechanized Brigade have been filmed operating Croatian-supplied M-84 tanks, marking the first public appearance of these vehicles on the battlefield, Ukrainian defense outlet Defense Express reported on September 12.
The tanks spotted are not the basic model but the modernized M-84A4 Snajper variant, which comes with upgraded fire-control systems, a laser warning receiver, and advanced sensors.
Tanks M-84 A4 Sniper, donated by Croatia to Ukraine, are being transported by train from Croatia to Germany. pic.twitter.com/DKDO83BRQD
— Vuk83J 🇭🇷 (@putnik833) December 10, 2024
Combat modifications: drone cages and armor upgrades
Footage also showed the vehicles fitted with drone cages, electronic warfare gear, and dynamic armor modules—protections likely added after arriving in Ukraine.
Talks about Croatia transferring M-84s began back in October 2024, when officials discussed sending 30 tanks and 30 M-80A infantry fighting vehicles in exchange for Germany’s Leopard 2A8s.
❗️🇭🇷Croatian M-84 tanks entered service with the 🇺🇦141st Mechanized Brigade pic.twitter.com/wJ8EYz1xWV
— 🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 (@front_ukrainian) September 12, 2025
While the Leopards have yet to materialize, Croatia did earlier receive Leopard 2A4s from Germany, locally designated Leopard 2A4HRV.
Modernized M-84A4s outfitted with extra defenses
Based on the recent interviews, the M-84s have already been in combat for some time, even if their deployment was only now confirmed publicly.
Observers recall that in December, a rail convoy of M-84s was spotted moving through Europe, reportedly toward Germany—suggesting that some modernization work may have been carried out there or in another European facility before delivery to Ukraine.
Interestingly, the Ukrainian-operated tanks had certain components removed to accommodate added defenses.
The turret-mounted machine gun and infrared spotlight were taken off to make room for dynamic armor, while the laser-warning system appears folded down under the drone cage, making it effectively unusable in combat.
Yugoslav roots, Croatian upgrade
The M-84 itself is a Yugoslav modernization of the Soviet T-72M1. While its armor is largely the same, the build quality and fire-control systems were considered superior to Soviet designs.
Croatia currently fields 74 M-84s in its own arsenal, of which 30 were earmarked for Ukraine—enough to equip roughly one tank battalion.
Earlier, a tank unit of Ukraine’s 425th Assault Regiment “Skala” was equipped with American-made M1 Abrams, becoming the second formation in the Armed Forces of Ukraine to field the advanced main battle tanks.
The unit confirmed the reinforcement with Abrams by releasing a statement accompanied by images of tanks from the 47th Mechanized Brigade “Magura,” which until now had been the only operator of the Abrams in Ukraine.
