Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov informed that the government will buy at least 10 new Oplot main battle tanks in 2018.

“The state defense order for the next year should include the acquisition of at least 10 Oplot tanks”, said Mr. Turchynov during a working visit to Kharkiv region on June 23.

In the Kharkiv region, the NSDC Secretary visited the state-owned Malyshev Machine-Building Plant, the Kharkiv-based Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau and took part in the expanded session of the Military Council of the National Guard of Ukraine.

The Oplot main battle tank (MBT) is developed by Kharkiv Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau (KMDB) for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The MBT can destroy ground-based and low-flying, low-speed aerial targets, while offering superior protection and high mobility for troops.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense inducted the Oplot MBTs into service in 2009. In September 2011, the Royal Thai Army placed an order with the Ukrainian arms trading company Ukrspetsexport for 49 Oplot-T MBTs.