Media: Thailand deploys Ukrainian tanks in Cambodia border clash

Thailand has reportedly used its Ukrainian-made T-84 Oplot main battle tanks in combat for the first time amid ongoing tensions near the Thai-Cambodian border, according to local media and defence experts.

Multiple pro-government outlets in Thailand have confirmed the deployment of Oplot-M tanks during recent assaults on Cambodian military positions near the disputed border area close to the base of Phra Wihan. The move is being described as a show of force intended to “reclaim lost ground,” Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Sompong Nondhasa, a prominent Thai defence commentator, posted on social media: “Oplot cavalry—the knights of the battlefield—have now entered the fight. This afternoon, the Royal Thai Army deployed Oplot tanks to fire on Cambodian forces near the base of Phra Wihan.”

The T-84 Oplot is a heavily modernised version of the Soviet-era T-80 tank, developed and produced by Ukraine’s Kharkiv Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau. Thailand ordered 49 units in 2011 under a contract aimed at strengthening its armoured capabilities.

Equipped with advanced fire control systems, composite armour, and a 125mm smoothbore cannon, the Oplot tanks have been described by Thai defence officials as the most advanced tanks in the Royal Thai Army’s arsenal.

Despite widespread reports of their use in active combat, there is no independent verification of the tanks engaging directly in battle. The situation on social media is clouded by speculation and provocative claims, making it difficult to confirm the exact nature and scale of their deployment.

What is confirmed, however, is the movement of several Oplot tanks toward the border area amid the ongoing conflict, signalling a significant escalation in military posturing between the two neighbouring countries.

By Vugar Khalilov