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Russian Drones Cripple Ukrainian T-72—But Nine-Hour Rescue Brings It Back
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
Ukrainian soldiers from the 225th Separate Assault Regiment spent approximately nine hours recovering a damaged T-72 tank after Russian drone strikes left one of its tracks completely immobilized.
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According to the 225th Separate Assault Regiment, its recovery unit used a WZT-3 armored recovery vehicle to retrieve the tank, despite mechanical damage that prevented it from moving under its own power.
The T-72 had sustained damage during Russian drone attacks. When the recovery team reached the vehicle, they discovered that the track on one side could no longer rotate, significantly complicating efforts to move the tank from its position.
The soldiers used a WZT-3, a Polish-designed armored recovery vehicle based on the T-72 chassis, to tow the damaged tank with one side of its running gear immobilized.
Footage published by the 225th Separate Assault Regiment shows the recovery operation, which required approximately nine hours to complete.
The regiment confirmed that the tank had been successfully evacuated and transferred for repairs. Once restored, the vehicle is expected to return to combat operations.
In June 2026, the United Kingdom disclosed that it had supplied Ukraine with six T-72 main battle tanks in 2025, alongside other armored vehicles and military equipment. The deliveries were listed in Britain’s submission to the UN Register of Conventional Arms.
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-939a6aae373f6c76f1b33cce63f6c7e2.png "Ukrainian paratroopers target a gas pipeline used by Russian infantry to conceal their movements in the Sumy direction. (Source: 71st Separate Airmobile Brigade)")
