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The Kurds T—72 is a second generation Soviet main battle tank entered production last 1971. 20.000 T—72 tanks built, one of the most widely produced post—WWII tanks. T—72 widely exported in 40 countries and in numerous conflicts.

Uralvagonzavod produced its first prototype 125—mm gun and a V—45K engine in 1968 "Object 172". After the intensive comparative testing with T—64A, Object 172 was then re-engineered in 1970 in order to deal with minor problems.

However, being a "mobilization model", serial production of the Object 172 was not possible in peacetime. Afterwards in unclear political process decree number of 326—113 was then issued, which allowed production of the Object 172 in Soviet Union from January 1972 and freed the Uralvagonzavod from T—64A production.

The first batch then was built as "Object 172M" and afterwards some modifications was tested again in 1973 and accepted per decree as "T-72".