7.02.2024 – Translated from Ukrainian via Google and OFP

Perhaps this will be a discovery for some, but today there is virtually no tank production in Russia. You may ask: where then come the articles in very smart publications about the increase in tank production in the Russian Federation by 560% and the increase in their number among the Russian occupation forces? It’s simple – it’s a matter of wording.

More details about this can be found in the material of the joint project OBOZ.UA and the Information Resistance group.

How many tanks did the occupying army receive before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began?

I will begin a review of the “production” of tanks in the Russian Federation in 2019. Why exactly from him? Because it was in that year that the pre-war record for the supply of tanks of various modifications to the troops of the aggressor country was set. That is, this indicator can be conditionally considered a reference, a litmus test of the capacity of the tank military-industrial complex of Russia in conditionally peacetime.

So, in 2019, the Russian army received:

T-72 – 217;

T-80 – 217.

Total – 434.

Let me draw your attention to two very important circumstances in these record figures. Among the transferred tanks there were mainly modernized vehicles from those removed from storage or in service, which were conventionally called “new” in the reporting. Particular attention was paid to vehicles taken out of mothballing (storage) and transferred to the troops after repair, even without modernization.

Many units of the Russian army received such vehicles. For example, a separate tank company of the 155th Marine Brigade, formed in 2019, received 10 T-80BV tanks removed from storage to equip it. Similarly, the tank battalion of the 39th Motorized Rifle Brigade from the 68th Army Corps.

The second point is that in 2019, practically no tanks of T-90 modifications were supplied to the Russian troops!

In 2020, Russian troops received:

T-90 – 40;

T-72 – 240;

T-80 – 20.

Total – 300.

At the same time, about 120 T-72 tanks were tanks taken out of storage, underwent repairs, but not modernization, and were ultimately transferred to recruit four new tank battalions from the 127th and 150th MRD.

Information about the transfer of tanks to Russian troops in 2021 was extremely limited due to the preparation of the ROV for a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, but it is known that during the year the Russian Army received:

T-72 – 90;

T-80 – 80.

Total – at least 170.

Thus, in the peak year of 2019, the Russian military-industrial complex produced about 36 tanks per month, and not new ones, but those taken out of storage, and at best modernized. Now let’s move on to a more detailed analysis of the categories.

Categories of the Russian military-industrial complex

Today, the Russian military-industrial complex can be divided into three categories, namely: production, restoration and modernization.

This division applies to absolutely any industry, and the categories “restoration” and “modernization” occupy almost 90% of the entire Russian military-industrial complex. But first things first.

Manufacturing is the creation of a new product from scratch. That is, in our case, this is a tank that is assembled from scratch and is completely new. These include the production of T-90 tanks, which is still in full production at Uralvagonzavod, but is more of a small-scale assembly.

UVZ is capable of producing a full-fledged T-90 tank from scratch in quantities of less than a company-sized kit per month. That is, units per month – from three to six, depending on a number of factors. Under the most rosy circumstances, with the supply of all components, the annual production of the T-90 could be in the range of 60-70 units. But this never happened.

Restoration – removing a tank from conservation, repairing it, bringing it to combat-ready condition. This category also includes equipment that comes from a combat zone and requires repair due to technical breakdown or combat damage.

Today, three main Russian enterprises are engaged in restoration, namely the well-known Uralvagonzavod, Omsktransmash and the 103rd armored repair plant (Chita).

T-72 and T-90 tanks pass through UVZ, T-80 tanks pass through Omsktransmash, and mainly T-62 tanks pass through the 103rd BTRZ.

Moreover, if we talk about UVZ, then almost all of its lines are busy with the restoration of main battle tanks, and not with their production. This is due to the fact that at the facilities of this enterprise it is possible to restore from two to four company T-72 sets per month – depending on the condition and volume of work required. The production of several units of tanks takes a month or more, while the production of the T-72 has practically not been carried out since 1997.

There is also no production of T-80 at Omsktransmash – only restoration and modernization is carried out. The plant’s capacity, depending on a number of factors, allows it to produce from one to two company sets of T-80s per month. But more often there is one or incomplete two. But almost all of them have been upgraded to the “BVM” level.

Modernization – improving the characteristics of restored tanks.

At almost all enterprises, after restoration, tanks undergo a modernization process; it rarely happens otherwise. And mainly this may concern the T-62 and T-54/55, very rarely – the T-72 and T-80.

Restoration and modernization rates are also affected by the condition of the tanks. And it is worth noting that for the T-72 and T-80 there are fewer and fewer samples suitable for quick and trouble-free restoration. In warehouses and storage centers, after two years of removal from storage, vehicles that are less suitable for resuscitation remain in stock. And this affects the rate of compensation for losses and monthly standards.

It’s much easier with T-90 tanks. They were put into storage not long ago, and they are given minimal attention in matters of restoration, more modernization to the “M” version – aka “Breakthrough”. Although even now you can often see T-90A and T-90S tanks in the combat zone, which indicates a hasty dispatch of MBTs and not always enough time for modernization.

The easiest way is with T-62 and T-54/55. This is a mechanic whose restoration is a much more simplified process than with the T-72/80. Modernization is also simplified as much as possible.

In general, in the future, the T-62 and T-54/55 could become the main battle tanks for the Russian occupation forces.

Results

To begin with, I note that in Russia there is no full-fledged mass production of tanks. The main part of the processes is not production, but restoration and modernization.

In mid-2023, Dmitry Medvedev, between system binges, said that the Russian army in 2023 would receive 1,600 tanks, or 133 tanks per month. And in general, these figures are quite consistent with Russian capacities – but not production, but repair. That is, in fact, we are talking about restoration and modernization.

According to a number of reports from the other side, the restoration of MBT in recent months has been increased due to reduced attention to the modernization of T-72 and T-80 tanks, as well as due to the correction of minor mechanical defects. This made it possible to send more units per month to the database zone, but they are already brought to the repair battalions maintenance units using all available means.

That is, by reducing the quality of transmitted MBTs, the issue of quantity is resolved, which reaches 200 units. But in the end, the low quality of this equipment creates many problems for the Russian occupation forces and increases the likelihood of its destruction, while the reserves are not unlimited (and neither is their quality).

Ouroboros of Russian tank building. More precisely, tank restoration.

https://war.obozrevatel.com/kovalenko-chto-na-samom-dele-skryivaetsya-za-gigantskim-proizvodstvom-tankov-v-rossii.htm?_gl=1vzce70_gaMTI1ODcwNjQxNC4xNzAwMjk2NDUx_ga_JBX3X27G7H*MTcwNzMzNjAzNS4xMzMuMC4xNzA3MzM2MDM1LjYwLjAuMA..