Russian tank repair hailed as success masks deeper military issues
Representatives of the Russian Uralvagonzavod corporation boasted about the successful repair of a T-90M tank, which had been heavily damaged in Ukraine. Ukrainian analysts note that what the Russians tout as a success is actually a sign of their growing problems.
Uralvagonzavod in Nizhny Tagil is one of the most important places for the Russian army. The most important machines handed over to the army for service, including T-72 and T-90 tanks, and even the T-14 Armata, are manufactured and repaired there. In this instance, representatives of the Russian corporation boasted about the successful repair of a T-90M tank, which returned from Ukraine after 26 hits by enemy kamikaze drones. The work was said to take "only four weeks."
T-90M returned to service after 26 hits
On the Ukrainian military portal Defence Express, it was noted that the Russians are significantly overestimating their achievements. It was pointed out that just a few months ago, tanks (including the T-90 family) that suffered such extensive damage were not repaired but only used as donors of spare parts for new or significantly less damaged units that could be repaired much faster.
According to analysts from Defence Express, this is another example confirming that the production of new tanks at the Uralvagonzavod may not meet the actual needs of the Russian army, which is suffering significant losses in Ukraine. In July this year, the number of T-90Ms lost in Ukraine exceeded 100 units.
The dangerous Russian tank
The T-90 is a family of Russian main battle tanks. Production of the first units began in 1992. The T-90M Proryv is the latest variant, which was introduced into the Russian army only in 2021 and was quickly dubbed "Putin's pride". This is because the Russian president personally inspected one of the prototypes and has often praised the capabilities of the T-90M, even claiming it to be "the best tank in the world".
Ukrainian military personnel have a different opinion, having analysed the components and capabilities of this machine, stating that the T-90M Proryv is a "failure instead of a breakthrough". Despite this, it remains one of the most dangerous machines at the disposal of Putin's army units fighting in Ukraine. It is equipped with a 2A46M-5 125 mm cannon, an improved fire control system, and two machine guns – 7.62 mm and 12.7 mm. Its design has been strengthened with Relikt modular reactive armour (built of two layers of tiles). However, it does not cover the entire tank, which results in weak points that skilled kamikaze drone pilots can target.
Earlier, deploying T-90S tanks to the front was seen as a sign of growing problems in the Russian arms industry. These machines were not designed with the Russian army in mind but were prepared for export. Due to reported defects, the Russian command likely decided to use the units that clients had not accepted.
