The tanks lost by the Russian armies in Ukraine have been the subject of numerous publications since the start of the conflict in Ukraine, two years ago. However, if during the first half of the conflict these losses were often interpreted as a sign of the progressive exhaustion of the Russian armies, optimism has since given way to increasing pessimism, while Russian industries have significantly increased their capacities. of delivery, to the point of compensating, it seems, for their instantaneous losses, if not since the start of the conflict.
A recent analysis of satellite images of the storage areas of Russian armored equipment, inherited from the Soviet Union, now allows us to better understand the current dynamics, and the sustainability of the effort produced by Moscow, to overcome Ukrainian defenses. . And the conclusions are hardly encouraging.
In this section:
9 armored vehicles lost by Russia in 000 years of war in Ukraine
It is true that the Russian armies have suffered appalling losses since the start of the offensive against Ukraine. According to analyses, it seems that they have lost, in two years of combat, 9 armored vehicles, but also more than a hundred fixed-wing planes, and as many rotary wings, while from 000 to 100 000 Russians would have lost their lives.
Let us note, first of all, that, concerning armored vehicles, these figures must be taken with a certain caution. Not that the armored vehicles counted were not put out of action, but we do not know the number of vehicles recovered and put back into combat condition by the Russians.
This figure is all the higher as, from now on, the lines move little, which better allows Russian engineers to bring damaged armored vehicles back to sorting and repair centers. The same goes, moreover, on the Ukrainian side.
However, in many areas, the cumulative losses of the Russian army in Ukraine exceed the inventory of the French, British, German, Polish, Italian and Spanish armies, combined. Remember that losses half as large, over a period of time five times longer, convinced Moscow to withdraw from Afghanistan in 1989.
However, here, neither the Kremlin, nor the Russian armies, nor public opinion in Russia, seem to show the slightest sign of exhaustion or contestation vis-à-vis this campaign of aggression, built on arguments which the Russians themselves know to be fanciful. Worse still, the Russian authorities, led by Vladimir Putin, appear more confident than ever in the prospect of victory in Ukraine.
Russian military industry delivered 1 tanks and 300 armored vehicles of uncertain profile
It must be said that, in recent months, the balance of power has gradually evolved in favor of the Russian armies. These receive, in fact, much more new or repaired equipment, but also ammunition, and men, than the Ukrainian armies can mobilize, on their side.
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Hello,
The Uralvagonzavod factory seems to be a priority target for Ukraine after reading this article. Is this factory within firing range of Ukraine (via ATACMS or otherwise)? Furthermore, do European sanctions not impact the production of Russian tanks? Thank you in advance for your answers.
It is in Nizhny Tagil, on the foothills of the Urals, beyond the reach of all Ukrainian systems. It was placed there during WWII precisely because it was out of range of German bombers.
The sanctions had an effect in the summer and fall of 2022, during which production was almost stopped. Since then, they have adapted, buying machine tools in China, components from friendly countries, etc. Now, it is producing 40/50 new tanks and IFVs per month, mainly T-90M and BMP-3M.
This article reflects in the back of our minds the slowness of our leaders in getting to the level of the Russian threat in order to considerably increase arms production. Instead, President Macron prefers to have his photo taken boxing and Photoshop his biceps. It's quite unrealistic. As Churchill said: “You wanted peace, you wanted to save honor: you will have war and dishonor!” ".
On the other hand, the Europeans are clearly going to use drones against Russian armored vehicles. Don't we overestimate the Russian armored vehicles which have shown their vulnerabilities in the face of small, maneuverable drones which can target weak points?
A priori, everyone was giving away the dead tank five years ago, and now, everyone (except us, of course), is rushing to order one. This would tend to show that it is still far from being useless. The effectiveness of drones, like today, is temporary, until the parades arrive. Once tanks have the volumetric APS coming, they will be much less vulnerable. I would tend to think that the tank, and armored vehicles in general, will return to the forefront very soon, if only to be able to evolve under a deluge of artillery fire and grapeshot (which is why they have were designed at the start, in fact).