Russian Crew Abandons T-72 Tank Due to Lack of Fuel. Ukrainian Troops Turn It Against Moscow — UNITED24 Media

Russian troops abandoned a working T-72 tank on the battlefield during a retreat after it simply ran out of fuel, Ukraine’s 7th Rapid Response Corps of the Air Assault Forces reported on July 9.

The trophy tank was captured by soldiers of the 81st Separate Airmobile Slobozhanska Brigade without a single shot being fired.

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According to Ukrainian paratroopers, the Russian crew fled the combat vehicle after it stalled while they were trying to escape a Ukrainian advance.

“This T-72 tank is special—it is a trophy. And our guys got it without firing a single shot. All because the fuel gauge in the Russian vehicle hit zero,” Ukraine’s Air Assault Forces said.

Captured Russian T-72 tank during modernization, July 2026. (Source: 7th Rapid Response Corps of the Air Assault Forces) Captured Russian T-72 tank during modernization, July 2026. (Source: 7th Rapid Response Corps of the Air Assault Forces)

After the tank was captured, Ukrainian forces evacuated it, refueled it, and sent it to the brigade’s repair unit. There, the vehicle was fully serviced and adapted for modern battlefield conditions.

The T-72 received additional anti-drone protection, its main systems were inspected and repaired, and its armor was reinforced to better protect the crew from FPV drones.

After modernization, the tank returned to service and is now carrying out combat missions in the Sloviansk direction—this time against its former owners.

“A little more anti-drone modernization from the paratrooper mechanics—and the tank went back into battle. But this time, it will fire in the right direction: at the occupiers,” the 7th Rapid Response Corps said.

Earlier this year, Ukrainian troops from the 92nd Assault Brigade captured a Russian T-80BVM main battle tank during combat operations.

The vehicle was seized after being disabled in battle and subsequently taken as a war trophy in cooperation with the brigade’s tank battalion. The unit released photographs showing the captured vehicle, a rare example of the Russian military’s most advanced T-80 variant currently deployed in Ukraine.