As the war progressed, a large number of captured Soviet T-60s were pressed into service by the Germans but rarely as combat tanks. The majority were used as light and medium artillery tractors with or without turrets designated as Gepanzerter Artillerie Schlepper T-60(r).
The T-70 light tank was designed as a replacement for the T-60; although it was an improved version, it was also operated by just a two-man crew, but its armament consisted of a turret-mounted 45mm gun and a 7.62mm machine gun. According to original German captured tank inventories, as of July 1943 there was only one T-70(r) as part of Army Group South and three tanks as part of Army Group Centre.
The Germans found the BT series tanks to be technically unreliable, but they were able to maintain a number of them by using other tanks for spare parts. Some BT series tanks were still in service in 1944. As of 15th October 1941, there were officially ten BT series tanks in service with German units: the 1st Panzer Division had two BTs, the 8th Panzer Division had three BT-7s and the 19th Panzer Division had five BTs. A number of BT tanks were also known to be in service with the 3rd SS (Motorised) Division, ‘Totenkopf’ and 4th SS Polizei Panzer Grenadier Division. BT series tanks were used a combat tanks until 1942, when they were relegated to second line duties, including policing and security, in the Ukraine and Byelorussia. They were still in service in 1944.
The T-28 Medium Tank was a six-man lightly armoured tank inspired by the British Vickers-Armstrong A6 Medium Tank. It was produced in four versions. There is no evidence of them being used by the Germans, but possibly a number were used as fixed fortifications, while the rest were scrapped.
Along with other tanks, the Soviet Army had two main heavy tanks in service as at 22nd June 1941. These included some forty T-35 and approximately five hundred of the KV series heavy tanks.
The T-35 Heavy Tank was a 10-11 man multi-turreted tank inspired, to some extent, by the British Vickers A1E1 Independent Tank. It was produced in two versions and was armed with a single 76.2mm L/24 gun, two 37mm (model 1933) or two 45mm (model 1937) guns and six 7.62mm DT machine guns installed in five turrets. A number of these lumbering machines were captured intact by the Germans, either abandoned by their crews, or broken down through lack of fuel. The T-35A (model 1933) was an early production model designated by the Germans as Panzerkampfwagen T-35A 751®, while T-35C (model 1937) was a late production model with conical turrets and was designated by the Germans as Panzerkampfwagen T-35C 752(r). It is also possible that in the confusion designation of Panzerkampfwagen T-35C 752(r) was also given to the SMK heavy tank (named after Sergius Mironovitch Kirov), which was a prototype of a T-35 replacement, eventually abandoned. T-35 tanks were of great of interest to the Germans, who inspected them carefully and took numerous pictures, although there is no evidence of them being used in combat. Possibly a few were used as fixed fortifications, while the majority were scrapped. It is also reported that the few that were kept in reserve were used by the Germans in the defence of Konigsberg, Berlin and Kummersdorf in 1945.
In addition to the KV-1 there were also KV-2 close support tanks armed with turret-mounted 152mm howitzer. The main armament was installed in a large slab-sided high turret and the vehicle was operated by a six-man crew. Two versions were produced: KV-2A model in 1940 and improved KV-2B model in 1941. The Germans designated captured KV-2 tanks as Sturmpanzer KV-2 754(r). Only a few were pressed into service because of their limited combat value and the need for constant maintenance. The most publicised captured KV-2 tank was taken near Dubno by the 2nd Battalion of the Regiment ‘General Goring’ on 29th June 1941. It was painted with this message ‘2 ./Regiment General-Goring donated to our Führer! Dubno 24.6.41’. This machine became the subject of numerous propaganda photographs and newsreels. In addition to the Dubno machine it is also known that 8th Panzer division used a single KV-2 in the winter of 1942. Along with a single KV-1, another KV-2 was also shown during special exhibitions in Germany. This particular KV-2 was found in the Krupp factory in Essen in 1945, where it was used for target practice. A number of KV-2 tanks were extensively tested at Kummersdorf, while seven were ordered to be maintained in perfect condition for unknown reasons. Badly damaged tanks were used for spare parts and eventually scrapped. In 1942 a single KV-2 and a T-34/76 were used to form 66th Panzer Company for the planned Invasion of Malta, code-named Herkules. Overall, the Germans only pressed the KV-2 into limited and temporary service. According to original German captured tank inventories of July 1943, there was only one KV-2(r) as part of Army Group Centre.
Tank crews relax in the shelter of a Panzer III during a brief lull in the fighting during the summer of 1941.