The truth about Vietnam buying T-72 tanks from Belarus

In addition to Poland, Vietnam is said to have researched and is moving towards purchasing a certain number of T-72 main battle tanks from Belarus.

The information comes from the 2010 arms export report of the Russian Center for Analysis of the Global Arms Market. The report cites information that was posted on the reputable information website Arms-Tass.ru on August 31, 2009.

Specifically, in 2008, Vietnam ordered a batch of T-72 tanks from Belarus (but which version of T-72 or the exact quantity was not determined) but received them in full in 2009.

However, similar to the legend of the SA-6 air defense missile or the MiG-23 interceptor, after a very long time, until now there are still no images or other information related to this special weapon.

The 2010 Arms Export Report of the Russian Center for Analysis of the Global Arms Market recorded Vietnam's contract to purchase T-72 tanks from Belarus.

To increase the certainty, it is necessary to cross-check with another very reputable reference source, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute - SIPRI of Sweden.

The SIPRI report said that the only arms purchase deal made between Vietnam and Belarus was only equipment to upgrade five S-125 Pechora medium-range air defense missile systems to the S-125-2TM Pechora-2TM standard.

So it is possible that the information appearing on Arms-Tass.ru simply stated that Vietnam had contacts with Belarus in 2008 to discuss the purchase of T-72 tanks. If the contract was signed, the other side would hand them over in 2009, but in reality, the above deal did not take place.

Belarusian T-72BV main battle tanks during a parade.

Experience shows that cases of inaccurate reporting on Vietnam's arms procurement situation are not uncommon.

For example, a 2016 SIPRI report published information that Vietnam ordered the Netherlands to build two SIGMA 9814 frigates, along with purchasing from France MM40 Exocet Block 3 anti-ship missiles, VL-MICA-M vertical launch air defense missiles, or purchasing from Italy Oto Melara Super Rapid 76 mm naval guns.

But by the 2017 report, all of the above statistics had been removed because the project was indefinitely suspended. It is likely that Arms-Tass.ru is in a similar situation.

Going back further, in 2005, many world military news sites also announced that Vietnam would buy 150 T-72M1 tanks from the Polish Army along with 40 Su-22M4 swing-wing attack aircraft, but things still went nowhere.

It was only recently that accurate information was repeatedly confirmed about Vietnam's contract to purchase modern tanks, namely the purchase of 64 T-90S/SK from Russia.

According to Baodatviet