The T72(export) from the 1970s is known to be wildy inaccurate by modern standards, has thin armour by modern standards, and has usually been supplied with inadequate, poor or downright shocking ammunition, and used by inadequately trained crews.
Not surprisingly, this isn't a recipe for success.
If you compare this to the current state of the art T64B, T90 and T80U/84 series tanks you would find that:
The quality of engineering is sometimes much higher, the new gun is less inaccurate than the original model, and has a better integration with the optics and FCS. Modern ammunition is no longer using full bore riding fins, but uses a 'western style' sabot.
The modern ammuntion is at least comparable with M829A1, and superior to DM33/M829 - as described previously the seperate loading and inability to bury the projectile in the case forces a limit to the penetration performance, but it is adequate for flanking fires at any usable range, and will penetrate the less well protected areas of the frontal protection of a Western tank at normal battle ranges.
The 125mm HEAT ammunition is equivalent to the best of the NATO rounds, and it also carries a useful Frag-HE round.
Any possible disadvantage at long range is more than compensated by the availability of a high supersonic gun-launched ATGM - this hits hard enough to kill anything except the possibly the front (protected portion) of a modern MBT, and flies at least twice as fast as western ATGM do, to 5km (TOW is 'only' 3.75km), and can be fired on the move if required.
Armour protection is comparable to the M1A1HA, although it obtains it using alternative arrangements. Not all of the frontal area is highly protected though - as is the case with the M1A1HA, which has an unreinforced glacis and turret roof.
Post penetration survivability is a known vulnerability, but is not as bad as the BDA photographs would appear to indicate*. The key problem is 6 rounds of APFSDS which are stowed in the fighting compartment. If these have been expended, or if they are not loaded in the first place (as in the later actions in Grozny) then the T64/T72/T80 series is not particularly dangerous to operate. While this reduces the supply of ammunition slightly (as no other round will fit in these 6 clips/racks), this is less critical than it might sound, as the T64/T72/T80 series has 28 rounds in the ready rack, compared to 11-15 for a western tank, and they are intended to operate en-mass.
* The relatively high proportion of wrecks which have been destroyed by catastrophic explosion only reflects the design of the carousel within the hull, which once a vehicle fire gets out of control is likely to destroy the vehicle. A similarly 'totally destroyed' tank such as the M1 we see from Iraq are less spectactularly destroyed, but are still obviously gutted by the fires that destroy them.
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