Ex-Polish Recovery Vehicle in the Ukrainian Flatlands

In November 2024, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense confirmed the incorporation of the Polish-made WZT-3/3M armoured recovery vehicle into the Armed Forces. This confirmation substantiated rumors regarding the donation of such equipment from Warsaw to Kyiv, likely along with PT-91 Twardy tanks (with 30–60 units transferred) and T-72M/M1/M1R tanks (about 280 units transferred). In recent years, the Polish Army had around 30 examples of the WZT-3 and 3M models, meaning there was no shortage of surplus.

How many of these WZT-3/3M vehicles did Poland transfer to Ukraine? Unfortunately, as in many cases, the exact number remains unknown because the Ministry of National Defence abruptly retracted its declaration of Polish military aid to Ukraine. Additionally, according to media rumors, an allotment of older WZT-2 ARVs was also supposed to be delivered to Ukraine. Both types of vehicles are highly valuable for the Ukrainians, as they greatly facilitate the evacuation of damaged or disabled equipment.

The WZT-3 is a Polish-made ARV developed in the 1980s by the Ośrodek Badawczo-Rozwojowy Urządzeń Mechanicznych (now OBRUM) in Gliwice, based on the T-72 tank (or the Yugoslavian M-84). It is the successor to the previously used WZT-2 in the Polish Army. The vehicle is equipped with a rotating crane that has a lifting capacity of 15 tons with a boom length of 5.8 m, or 13 tons with the boom extended to 8 m. Additionally, it features a blade, a mechanical winch with a pulling force of 31 tons and a rope length of 200 m, as well as welding and cutting equipment. The WZT-3 is designed to support vehicles weighing up to 50 tons.

The vehicle is powered by a W-46-6 diesel engine producing 780 horsepower, enabling a maximum speed of 60 km/h with a curb weight of 42 tons. For self-defense, it is equipped with a 12.7 mm WKM-B heavy machine gun with a 200-round ammunition supply. The crew consists of four members. A modernized version, the WZT-3M, was also developed, featuring components from the PT-91 Twardy tank. The main difference lies in its more powerful S-12U engine, producing 850 horsepower. WZT-3 vehicles are currently used by countries including Poland, India, Ukraine, and Kuwait.