CNN
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Russia has lost up to half of its operational tank fleet since the start of the Ukraine war as it struggles to reach the goals of Vladimir Putin’s invasion, according to information gathered by the Observatory Group. have a nature
Oryx, an open-source intelligence website, has been collecting visual evidence of military equipment losses in Ukraine since the Russian invasion began on February 24, 2022.
The group said this week it had confirmed the loss of 1,000 Russian tanks in the war. A further 544 Russian tanks were captured by Ukrainian forces, 79 were damaged and 65 were abandoned.
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The toll does not include losses that Oryx could not visually confirm, said military analyst Jakub Janowski, writing for Oryx’s blog. He estimates the actual toll he could be closer to 2,000 tanks.
“Russia started the war with about 3,000 operational tanks, so it is quite possible that Russia lost half of[its]operational tanks,” said Janovsky.
Tanks are a major focus of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and are seen as key to either Russia or Ukraine gaining territory on the battlefield.
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According to Oryx figures, the tank battle distorted Ukraine’s course. By Oryx’s calculations, Ukraine’s over 500 tanks taken from Russia more than cover her 459 lost tanks.
And more tanks are heading to Ukraine.
Since last month, Kiev has received pledges for modern tanks from Germany, the US, the UK and other Western partners.
Moreover, these tanks are believed to have better technology than those deployed by Russia.
Ukrainian officials have repeatedly begged Western allies to provide them with modern tanks that could be used not only to defend their current positions but also to fight their enemies.
Russian armor, on the other hand, is not doing well in Ukraine.
Just months after the outbreak of war, analysts noticed a flaw in the Russian tank’s design. This meant that a single anti-tank shot into him could detonate an ammunition magazine. The ensuing blast often blows off the turrets of Russian tanks, creating the so-called “jack-in-the-box” effect.
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Experts also said pre-war Russian armor was in poor condition, and some tanks in storage may have been sent to the front lines to find parts to keep them functional. I’m here.
Janovsky said Moscow had about 4,000 tanks in reserve before the war began.
“On paper, Russia still has a lot of tanks, many of which are not stored properly and may be difficult to put back into service soon,” he said.
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Even assuming they are all viable, Yanovsky says Moscow has lost about 30% of its pre-war tank strength.
Yanovsky previously told CNN that it would be difficult for Moscow to build a new replacement tank.
“Sanctions may force them to replace their sensors and electronics with inferior alternatives, and the amount they can produce in the short term is only a fraction of what they’re losing. The material loss of … is not sustainable,” he said in September.
Adding infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers, and other vehicles to tanks brings the total number of Russian equipment losses to almost 9,100, according to the Oryx website.
According to Oryx, Ukraine has a total installed loss of 2,934.
