Most T-55 and T-54 have been given to the “armies” of the “Republics” of Luhansk and Donetsk. So your assumption is correct.
T-62 tanks were used in russian offensives in the south, around Vuhledar but were pretty unsuccesful
On a couple of occasions some T-55 were converted to radio controlled kamikaze tanks last summer
Youtube - Task & Purpose mentioned that many of the turtle tanks are T-62’s that have been repaired or salvaged. Some don’t carry any ammo or even have functional main guns. Their goal, soak up FPV drones, provide jamming or transport infantry etc.
I found another site that covers loses
It also has photos of the tanks
@gtdeath13 Nikos, thank you for the link.
There’s ~140+ T-62’s shown and two T-55’s. Gives one the impression the T-55’s aren’t used as aggressively as the T-62’s or are present in smaller numbers.
~1,000 T-80BV Tanks Disappeared from their Russian Storage Bases not directly related to topic but along similar lines.
Civilian curiosity questions, no experience with AFV’s after seeing an Australian Armor Museum videos on serving Cold War era AFV’s.
If a Cold War era AFV (any nationality) sits in storage outside in the elements, do exposed solid rubber tires & tracks hold up indefinitely?
How about stuff like fuel lines, radiators & rubber hose couplers in the cooling system?
Thank you.
All rubber, including tires, fuel, and radiator lines, will dry rot with age, especially when left outside exposed to the elements. That, along with parts theft and the black market, is why only 10% of Russia’s reserve tank fleet started up when needed, from T-80’s on down. 90% of their reserve tanks are pure scrap, and it would take them years to cobble together operational tanks from the thousands of deteriorated, partial “parts tanks” that they have sitting in fields out in the open.
Then, their new factory tank production is measured in the dozens per year, so it doesn’t look good for Russia on that front, either.
I suspect they are building new tank factories or are increasing production potential. My reasons are the losses need to be replaced and with so many losses a new round of tank production needs to occur to modernize their tank armies. The T 80 or T90 needs to replace the aging T72’s in whatever is left of their stockpiles. They may currently need 5000 T80’s or T 90’s That will never be done at 20 tanks per month. I am sure China would supply any electronic parts they need.
That sounds on the money. China may not be supplying tanks etc but China seems be helping Russia rebuild capability. CNN: China-supports-Russian weapons-manufacturing by helping Russia rebuild it’s manufacturing sector.
“As a demonstration of this deepening China-Russia partnership: in 2023, 90% of Russia’s micro-electronics imports came from China, which Russia has used to produce missiles, tanks, and aircraft, a second official said.”
The West in general would be very wise to update and improve its own manufacturing infrastructure regardless.
I read earlier in the year that Uralvagonzavod was re-starting their T-80 production and I think both they and several other of the larger armored vehicle plants are on 24 hour production cycles. Much of the footage I’ve seen of new vehicles leaving factories is the more modern equipment- T-72B3’s, T-80BVM’s , T-90’s and BMP-3’s.
As you guys have said- Chinese electronics are already in play but in terms of hardware there has been little apart from those Desertcross buggy vehicles.
