In 1943, the appearance of heavier German tanks on the Eastern Front, such as the Pz.Kpfw. VI Tiger and the Pz.Kpfw. V Panther, posed a serious threat to the Red Army. The early variants of the T-34, which were only armed with 76 mm cannons, were no longer effective against these vehicles. The response came in the form of the T-34-85, an extensive modernisation of the battle-proven T-34. Its most important improvement was the new ZiS-S-53 85 mm gun, which could penetrate German armour at greater ranges. The new version also featured a redesigned turret with a commander’s cupola and space for an additional crew member, the loader.

One such vehicle, the T-34-85 with the tactical number 3-716 and the nickname “Partisan”, served in the 61st Guards Sverdlovsk–Lvov Tank Brigade as part of the 10th Guards Ural Volunteer Tank Corps. The brigade took part in some of the Red Army’s most important offensives in 1944–1945, including the Lvov–Sandomierz, Sandomierz–Silesian, Berlin, and Prague operations. For its courage and combat achievements, the unit was awarded numerous high state honours, including the Orders of Lenin, the Red Banner, Suvorov, Kutuzov, and Bohdan Khmelnytsky.

The T-34-85 “Partisan” was introduced as part of the 2025 “Legend of Victory” event. Aside from its unique appearance, decorated with a red banner and special insignia, the tank retains all the familiar characteristics of the T-34-85: a fast but lightly armoured medium tank, equipped with a powerful and accurate 85 mm gun capable of defeating nearly all tanks within its rank with relative ease.