Russian soldiers have reportedly founded and excavated the “Azovets,” a unique Ukrainian combat vehicle, according to the RIA Novosti state news agency.
The Azovets, developed in 2015, is a one-of-a-kind combat machine based on the T-64 tank chassis. During the Russian invasion in 2022, it was buried on the outskirts of Mariupol, a city later occupied and partially destroyed by Russian forces.
Designed as an experimental Ukrainian tank support combat vehicle, the Azovets is positioned as a combatant for urban warfare. Weighing approximately 41 tons, it offers significant advantages over heavier previous models, such as the T-64BV, which weighs 42.4 tons, and the T-64BM “Bulat,” weighing 44 tons.
Capable of reaching speeds of up to 65 km/h, the Azovets is equipped with surveillance cameras mounted around its hull perimeter, with headlights positioned on the vehicle’s body being rotatable.
The vehicle was officially presented on November 28, 2015.
Armed with two twin-barreled 23mm aircraft cannons, PKT machine guns, and launcher units with anti-tank missiles, the Azovets boasts separately controlled modules for each weapon system. Both combat modules offer a 180-degree field of view, enabling operators to fully control the situation during combat engagements.
