Russia's ageing movie tanks bolster dwindling arsenal
The Russian army has decided to seek reinforcements from an unusual source. Russia's oldest film studio, Mosfilm, has handed over several dozen tanks that were used as props during the production of war films.
Although this transfer occurred in 2023, details about it have only now emerged in the public domain. Mosfilm decided to hand over 28 T-55 tanks, eight PT-76 tanks, and several infantry fighting vehicles.
"I found out that there was such a need. I contacted the Defense Ministry and they took these vehicles," said Mosfilm's general director, Karen Shakhnazarov, in a conversation with Vladimir Putin. He added that Mosfilm also supports the Russian army financially. This year, it reportedly contributed around 6 million roubles for its needs.
The Mosfilm film studio handed over tanks to the army
The Ukrainian portal Defence Express, which specialises in military topics, emphasises that this situation is exceptional even by "Russian standards," noting the tanks in film studios are mainly used as props with limited functionality. Based on photos, Ukrainians estimate that the Russian army reviewed the studio's resources and selected operational vehicles with the potential to be used at least as donors of spare parts and possibly even as operational units.
Russia increasingly relies on old tanks
According to the creators of the Oryx blog, who monitor and document the losses suffered by both sides of the conflict in Ukraine, Russians have already lost over 3,500 tanks. Given the limited production capabilities and dwindling stockpiles, very old tanks are increasingly appearing on the front line.
This includes, among others, T-55s. Production of these machines began in 1958. They are tanks that do not protect the crew against hostile fire or even drones. Additionally, they have a modest 100 mm gun without the support of modern systems and optics, resulting in limited situational awareness and being entirely ineffective during night attacks.
The PT-76 is also a very old design, and it is rarely seen in Russian ranks. It is a light tank produced between 1951 and 1967, noted for its ability to navigate waterways and its main armament, a 76 mm gun with a stockpile of 40 rounds. Defence Express suggests that the PT-76 tanks acquired from the Mosfilm studio will be used as donors of spare parts for BTR-50 vehicles, which were developed on the PT-76 chassis.
