In October 2024, it became known that as part of a "ring exchange" with Germany, Croatia plans to transfer 30 M-84 tanks to Ukraine, along with 30 M-80A infantry fighting vehicles. While the M-80A IFVs have already been utilized by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, our military has yet to engage with the M-84 tanks, adding an element of intrigue to the situation.
Three months have passed, raising the question of how the story of the M-84 tank transfer from Croatia to the Armed Forces of Ukraine is unfolding. A publication from the Polish portal Defence24 may provide a significant reference point.
z transportu chorwackich czołgów M-84A4 do w celu późniejszego przekazania ich .#Russia #Ukraine #Ukraina pic.twitter.com/OEKHuCZKPK— Wojtek Kostrzewa (@wojtekfalco) December 16, 2024
The authors of this publication refer to videos that surfaced on Croatian social media in December 2024, depicting the process of what appears to be the delivery of M-84 tanks to Germany.
They speculate that these tanks may then transit toward our country. However, it remains unclear whether Croatia itself conducted any repairs on these M-84 tanks, or if such work will need to be carried out by other countries.
Additionally, the question of which variant Croatia might allocate remains open – whether the basic M-84 or the upgraded M-84A4 Snaiper tanks developed with the involvement of the Croatian defense industry. Finally, when these tanks will arrive in Ukraine and be integrated into our military remains to be seen.
A train carrying 30 M-80A armored combat vehicles donated by Croatia to Kyiv is on its way to Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/SGTNJovRVs— Vuk83J (@putnik833) December 5, 2024
The unique features of the Yugoslav-produced M-84 tanks have already been covered in a separate publication, but to summarize briefly – these tanks can be regarded as a copy of the Soviet T-72M1, distinguished from the original by superior manufacturing quality and onboard electronics.
It is also important to note that the production cycle of the M-84 was largely tied to enterprises located within Croatia.
We have also previously discussed the significant volume of assistance that Croatia has provided to the Armed Forces of Ukraine up to this point, including even 40 D-30 howitzers, not to mention two An-32B aircraft and a range of other critical equipment and armaments.
