The Ukrainian Oplot main battle tank appears as though it was damaged during a military parade in Kyiv.
Local news reports and social media posts claim that one of the three Oplot tanks was suddenly damaged during Friday’s 30th anniversary Independence Day parade in Kyiv.
A few minutes before rehearsal began, the newest Ukrainian tank was dismantled and replaced with a modernized T64BM2 tank. Eyewitnesses reported that fuel puddles were visible under the Oplot tank, and the military tried to evacuate it quickly.
On social media, a video shows what appears to be an Oplot tank being broken down in Kyiv just before a rehearsal parade.
Only two Oplot tanks participated in the Sunday night rehearsal. It is not clear if the tank that was damaged will be repaired before the parade on August 24.
In 2009, the Oplot MBTs were inducted into service by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence. The Royal Thai Army placed an Order with Ukrspetzexport, Ukraine’s arms trading company, for 49 Oplot-MBTs in September 2011.
The Oplot weighs in at 51 tons. According to Ukroboronprom data, the tank can hold three people and has a top speed of 70 km/h. Malyshev, UkrOboronProm’s subsidiary in Kharkiv, produces the Oplot.
