Several advanced Russian tanks have been deployed by Vladimir Putin's forces in Ukraine, before being withdrawn, it has been reported.
Armored forces from Russia's southern military district (SMD) were given T-14 "Armata" main battle tanks (MBTs) for combat operations, according to the state news agency Tass, which noted that this was Moscow's first official confirmation of their use in Ukraine.
"The Armata was actively used by the (SMD) in combat operations," a military source told the agency. "Several units participated in battle to see how the tank would perform. They were then withdrawn from the front line."
"All the necessary tests of the T-14 tank are still ongoing," the source added.
The outlet did not specify the exact location or length of time of the deployment nor why it was withdrawn. Newsweek has emailed the Russian defense ministry for comment.
The T-14 Armata had been eagerly anticipated as a piece of equipment that would provide a huge boost for Russia's armed forces.
Among its assets is an unmanned turret and it can support a 125mm cannon. Its crew operates the vehicle from an armored capsule within the tank's hull, increasing survivability in case of a strike.
When it was unveiled in 2015, its high-tech specifications led a British army intelligence officer to hail it as the "most revolutionary tank in a generation."
An article in defense publication The National Interest in 2016 said that the Afghanit active protection system on the tank was able to intercept depleted uranium-core armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot cannon shells, a type of ammunition used to attack modern armored vehicles.
The publication said that if Moscow's claims were true, "the new Russian active protection system would be a game-changing development in the realm of mechanized warfare."
Despite the advanced attributes being touted by experts and Russia's military, the roll-out of the tank has been plagued with delays and technical problems.
Before it was unveiled in 2015 during Russia's annual Victory Day parade in Moscow, the tank appeared to unexpectedly stop during a rehearsal.
Meanwhile, British defense officials said in January that Russia's forces were reluctant to accept the first tranche of T-14s allocated to them because they were in such poor condition.
The U.K. Ministry of Defense said that the tank had been dogged by delays and faced a host of manufacturing problems. Also, Russia's deployment of the tanks would be most likely for propaganda purposes because Russian commanders "are unlikely to trust the vehicle," the defense officials added.
