The T-80 is a derivative of the T-64. Kharkiv manufactured the T-64 in the mid-1960s. At the time, the T-64 was revolutionary, introducing a number of advanced features. The T-80 is known for being a bit of a gas guzzler
German forces had broken through to the Caucasus, threatening to seize the Soviet Union’s largest oil fields. The loss of the “black blood” so vital for the war effort could have completely paralyzed the Red Army.