The T-72 main battle tank, the most representative Soviet tank during the Cold War, was once the symbol of the Soviet Army's strength. About 40 years later, a new T-72B3 MBT entered service with the Russian Army.

The Russian T-72B3 MBT, as an important complement of the T-90 MBT, has received a series of modern improvements on the basis of the T-72B tank. It's installed with the new Sosna-U multi-channel sight, a modern 125mm 2A46M-5 smoothbore gun, a 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun and a 12.7mm Utjos NSVT anti-aircraft machine gun. It's fitted with the Kontakt-5 explosive reactive armor for better protection. It also receives new double-pin tracks. The T-72B3 tanks started service in 2012 and appeared in the Tank Biathlon and the Ukraine conflict.