Russian tanks at the front: New T‑90M and vintage Soviet models
12:01 PM EDT, July 29, 2024
In Russian tank transports to the front, a certain pattern is visible. They are either the newest T-90M or very old machines from the times of the USSR. Jarosław Wolski, a Polish defense analyst, has no doubts about why this is happening.
In July this year, a report on Russian tank warehouses was published, revealing that primarily the oldest tanks, like the T-62M, T-62, and even T-55, are disappearing from them. At the same time, the Russians have stopped repairing and modernizing significantly more advanced tanks from the T-72 family. It is believed this is due to the issue of spare parts. Regarding the oldest designs, the Russians can count on help from North Korea, which provides the necessary components.
The Russians have problems with their tanks
The Russians have a serious problem with spare parts and recreating the production of missing components. The result is the almost 'extinction' of the T-72A/B/B m.1989, etc. However, thanks to North Korea, the Russians regularly receive new and large numbers of components for the T-62M.
The history of the T-62 tanks dates back to the 1960s. The T-62M is a modernized variant from the 1980s. Composite armor blocks were used on the turret and hull, and Kontakt-1 reactive armor blocks were applied. They use a 115 mm caliber gun and do not have thermal or passive night vision, making them useless during night attacks.
According to the Polish analyst, due to North Korean assistance, additional deliveries of not only T-62M but also older T-55 and T-54 tanks will arrive at the front.
On the other hand, the T-90M are the best tanks that Russian units participating in the war in Ukraine have. Their transport to Ukraine is also seen systematically but not in such large numbers. Despite switching to wartime mode, the Russian economy cannot keep up with the losses inflicted by Ukrainians, and new tanks are arriving more slowly than the Russians would like.
The T-90M tanks started entering service in 2021. They surpass Soviet-era machines in every element, both on the defensive and offensive front. They are equipped with a 125 mm caliber 2A46M-5 gun, an improved fire control system, and two machine guns—a 7.62 mm caliber and a 12.7 mm caliber. The Russians strengthened them with modular Relikt reactive armor.
