WWII-Era German Panther Tank Unearthed in Russia

An excavation in Russia has uncovered a German Panther tank dating from the Second World War, which had lain buried underground since the conflict, according to Iran's Mehr News Agency (MNA).

The Panther, formally known as the Panzerkampfwagen V, was a medium tank developed by Nazi Germany and first deployed in 1943. It became one of the most widely used German armored vehicles of the war, valued for its firepower and armor, and was produced in large numbers for use on the Eastern Front, where much of the heaviest tank fighting of the war took place.

Video of the excavation released alongside the report shows the tank being uncovered from the ground where it had remained since the war. Additional details on the exact location of the find, the circumstances that led to the tank being buried, and its condition after decades underground were not specified in the report.

Wartime relics, including tanks, aircraft and other military equipment, are periodically discovered across the former Eastern Front, particularly in areas of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Poland that saw intense fighting between German and Soviet forces. Such finds are sometimes recovered by military history enthusiasts, archaeologists or construction crews, and are occasionally restored for display in museums.

It was not immediately clear what plans, if any, exist for the recovered tank, including whether it will be preserved, restored or put on public display.