A Ukrainian tank commander named Igor admitted their old tanks are getting ripped apart by modern Russian armor and anti-armor weapons in the field. Such losses outnumber what the Russians have experienced in combat. The tank assets of Ukraine have been whittled to half of its 800 battle-ready main battle tanks (MBT) from the start of the conflict.
Ukraine Still Uses Outdated Tanks in Battle
Most of the AFU uses out-of-date Soviet MBTs like the T-64, T-72, T-80, and T-84 in the campaigns against Moscow. This old armor was donated by former members of the defunct Eastern Soviet Bloc, reports Bulgarian Military.
News of the incoming supplies of less obsolete western tanks from the US and EU is welcome for these AFU tank crews. But how many are they causing bated breath that is impactful or negligible? Based on the pledges that 50 units are coming to resupply their lost units. A chance to get more is a slight chance, but it is mostly a big what if.
Modern Russian Armor Wipes Out Ukrainian Tanks
Commander Igor spoke about what his T-64 faces as a relic in a modern war, noted IB Times. One of the legacy MBTs fighting against a modern Russian army has led to choosing not to face head-on newer models. Their older unit is likely to get demolished in an unequal contest.
Many Ukrainian tankers are the same, and it echoes Igor's conclusion that it is terrible for them in the field. Age has made the older Soviet-era tank suffer from busted and faulty systems in combat.
He added a 50-year-old tank that is older could not counter a modernized Russian army tank. Told that getting the Leopard 2 is better than a grandpa unit as a reprieve for them, per Army Technology.
Western tanks are supposed to counterbalance a Russian juggernaut
The Leopard 2 was permitted to be re-exported by Germany to Kyiv. But Olaf Scholz told NATO and EU allies that dealing with well-equipped Russian forces will not be easy. The first deliveries will come in March and April, as the latest info.
Analysts warn that Ukrainians forget that there's more to tank combat. Most of the terrain is optimized for a lighter Soviet tank with support infrastructure for their deployment. The weight of heavier western tanks will see them to have a hard time in the terrain and support structures.
Supplies of the Leopard 2 will fall short as only 2000 operational, but even one tank battalion is not possible,
Ukraine currently has 31 units in its armored battalions, and Warsaw pledged 30 Leopards, with Germany and Portugal adding extra units as well. One catch is they need repair as many require refurbishing before delivery.
T-64 was introduced later in the sixties and built until the last part of the 1980s. With 13,000 units produced, about 38 tons with a 125mm maid cannon including two machine guns as lighter armament.
An engine powers the chassis with almost 700 hp that is grossly underpowered too. It has a range of 500 km with a full tank and a top speed of 60 km/h.
Ukrainian tanker Igor calls old tanks useless against modern Russian armor unless they get more than legacy units. Preferably the Leopard 2 or equivalent MBTs is better than a T-64, even if it can get bogged down in the mud.
Related Article: Russia Main Battle Tank Deploys in Ukraine
