Russian tank observed for first time likely using Arena-M APS against UAV

A Russian T-72B3A tank, identified with the number 133, firing what is likely its Arena-M APS against an incoming UAV in a video posted in July 2026. (Phoenix Unmanned Systems Regiment of the Ukrainian Border Guard Service.)

Janes visual analysis indicates that a Russian main battle tank (MBT) in Ukraine fired its Arena-M active protection system (APS) against an approaching Ukrainian first person view (FPV) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

In a video posted online by Ukraine's Border Guard Service in late July 2026, three Russian T-72B3A MBTs appear, seen in Ukrainian UAV video feeds. The letter ‘A' in the tank designations denotes that the variant is fitted with Arena-M.

Tank number 133 is seen first in the video and appears to engage a quadcopter attack FPV UAV successfully with its Arena-M system. Janes assesses that the upward direction of the blast seen in the video indicates Area-M launching its effector canister rather than an impact by a UAV. Burning debris seen behind the tank as it continues to drive on is likely a destroyed UAV. The MBT appears eventually to have been destroyed by other FPV UAVs. Before that, the tank is filmed close up by a UAV with what are visible as openings for Arena-M effector cassettes.

Tank number 116 is seen next in the footage and also appears to be destroyed by UAVs. Tank number 114 is seen last. While it appears to have been engaged by UAVs, whether it was destroyed is not clear from the material.