‼️ Russia’s vast stocks of Soviet-era weaponry are running out

It may have to scale back its offensive in Ukraine

When the then-Russian defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, boasted in December last year that 1530 tanks had been delivered in the course of the year, he omitted to say that almost 85 per cent of them, according to an assessment by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a London think-tank, were not new tanks but old ones (mainly T-72s, also T-62s and even some T-55s dating from just after the World War II) that had been taken out of storage and given a wash and brush-up.

Since the invasion, about 175 reasonably modern T-90m tanks have been sent to the front line. IISS estimates that annual production this year could be approaching 90.

Pavel Luzin, an expert on Russian military capacity at the Washington-based Centre for European Policy Analysis, reckons Russia can build only 30 brand-new tanks a year. When the Ukrainians captured a supposedly new T-90m last year, they found that its gun was produced in 1992.

Luzin reckons Russia’s ability to build new tanks or infantry fighting vehicles, or even to refurbish old ones, is hampered by the difficulty of getting components.

Stores of components for tank production that before the war were intended for use in 2025 have already been raided, while crucial equipment, such as fuel heaters for diesel engines, high-voltage electrical systems and infrared thermal imaging to identify targets, were all previously imported from Europe and their sale is now blocked by sanctions.

The lack of high-quality ball bearings is also a constraint. Chinese alternatives are sometimes available, but are said not to meet former quality standards.

Furthermore, the old Soviet armaments supply chain no longer exists. Ukraine, Georgia and East Germany were all important centres of weapons and components manufacture. Ironically, Kharkiv was the main producer of turrets for T-72 tanks.

Source
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