Russia and Ukraine: why has the Russian army lost so many war tanks?
A Ukrainian soldier stands on a destroyed Russian tank outside kyiv.
Russia may have lost hundreds of tanks in the two-month invasion of Ukraine.
War experts attribute the decline to advanced anti-tank weapons that Western nations bestowed on Volodymyr Zelensky’s government. Also to the poor way Russia has used its military equipment.
According to Oryx, a military and intelligence blog that counts the losses of the Russian army in Ukraine based on photographs sent from the war zone, Moscow has lost more than 460 tanks and more than 2,000 armored vehicles.
According to the Rand Corporation and the International Institute for Strategic Studies, Russia had about 2,700 battle tanks at the start of the conflict.
A tank turret near Kharkiv.
How effective have anti-tank weapons been?
The United States supplied Ukraine with 2,000 Javelin anti-tank missiles when the invasion began and has since sent at least 2,000 more.
These “javelins” are fired so that the missile explodes on top of a tank, where the armor is weakest, according to its manufacturer, Lockheed Martin.
Many Russian tanks have reactive armor that absorbs the impact of missiles. However, the Javelins are equipped with two warheads, one affects the reactive armor and the second pierces the body of the tank.
Similarly, the UK has sent some 3,600 NLAW missiles. These are designed to explode when they pass over the top of the tanks relatively exposed turret (armoured tower).
Destroyed Russian tanks in the city of Bucha, located on the outskirts of kyiv.
“The Javelins and NLAWs are very powerful,” says Nick Reynolds, a ground warfare research analyst at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). “Without this lethal aid, the situation in Ukraine would be very different.”
The United States has also supplied Ukraine with 100 Switchblade anti-tank drones. Known as “kamikaze” drones, they can hover over a target miles away from the operator and then drop onto a tank, destroying themselves with a warhead on the tip.
What about the Russian tactics?
Currently, the Russian army operates through Battalion Tactical Groups (BTG), which are autonomous combat units made up of tanks, infantry and artillery.
The precise composition of these units can vary, but they generally comprise a large number of armored vehicles and relatively few infantry troops.
“Russia has relatively few troops to call upsays Phillips O’Brien, professor of strategic studies at the University of St Andrews, “so BTGs are a way of creating a very powerful fighting unit.
The top of the tanks is the least protected, so it has become a target for missiles.
“They are designed to attack quickly with a lot of firepower. However, they have very little protection in terms of infantry personnel to escort them and retaliate if the armored column is attacked,” he says.
“That makes the Russian military like a boxer who has a big right hook and a glass jaw.”
Likewise, O’Brien asserts that the lack of Russian air patrols means that Ukrainian troops it was easy for them hereach certain positions that allow them to ambush columns of Russian tanks.
“Russia did not gain air supremacy at the beginning of the conflict,” he maintains, “and that is why they cannot patrol the skies to detect the movements of the Ukrainian army.”
“That means that the Ukrainian troops have been able to put themselves in good firing positions for ambushes and have been able to cause a lot of damage in this way,” adds the professor.
Is there incompetence in the Russian army?
According to Oryx figures, half of the tanks that Russia has lost have not been destroyed or damaged by the enemy, but have been captured or abandoned.
Tractors pull a missile launcher in Ukraine.
Experts attribute this to logistical failures and incompetence of the Russian troops.
“Photos have been seen of Russian tanks being pulled by Ukrainian farmers’ tractors,” says O’Brien.
The expert also explained that some tanks were abandoned because they ran out of fuel. Others got stuck in the spring mud because – in what he described as logistical failures – the high command invaded at the wrong time of year.
“Russia’s ground forces are made up of many conscripts. That makes them, in global terms, a low to medium quality fighting force,” says RUSI’s Nick Reynolds.
“Many tanks have been abandoned due to poor driving. Some have been thrown off bridges. Others have been driven into ditches so that the tracks will come off. The ability of troops to use their equipment has been lacking.”
US-supplied Javelin missiles have destroyed dozens of Russian tanks in Ukraine.
“But often soldiers just abandon their vehicles and run away. So the will to fight has also been lacking,” he added.
Faced with the actions of the Russian army, the Ukrainian government has even issued instructions on how citizens abandoned military vehicles must be handed over.
The authorities also indicated that anyone who finds such “combat trophies” does not need to declare them for taxes.
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A Ukrainian soldier stands on a destroyed Russian tank outside kyiv.
Russia may have lost hundreds of tanks in the two-month invasion of Ukraine.
War experts attribute the decline to advanced anti-tank weapons that Western nations bestowed on Volodymyr Zelensky’s government. Also to the poor way Russia has used its military equipment.
According to Oryx, a military and intelligence blog that counts the losses of the Russian army in Ukraine based on photographs sent from the war zone, Moscow has lost more than 460 tanks and more than 2,000 armored vehicles.
According to the Rand Corporation and the International Institute for Strategic Studies, Russia had about 2,700 battle tanks at the start of the conflict.
A tank turret near Kharkiv.
How effective have anti-tank weapons been?
The United States supplied Ukraine with 2,000 Javelin anti-tank missiles when the invasion began and has since sent at least 2,000 more.
These “javelins” are fired so that the missile explodes on top of a tank, where the armor is weakest, according to its manufacturer, Lockheed Martin.
Many Russian tanks have reactive armor that absorbs the impact of missiles. However, the Javelins are equipped with two warheads, one affects the reactive armor and the second pierces the body of the tank.
Similarly, the UK has sent some 3,600 NLAW missiles. These are designed to explode when they pass over the top of the tanks relatively exposed turret (armoured tower).
Destroyed Russian tanks in the city of Bucha, located on the outskirts of kyiv.
“The Javelins and NLAWs are very powerful,” says Nick Reynolds, a ground warfare research analyst at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). “Without this lethal aid, the situation in Ukraine would be very different.”
The United States has also supplied Ukraine with 100 Switchblade anti-tank drones. Known as “kamikaze” drones, they can hover over a target miles away from the operator and then drop onto a tank, destroying themselves with a warhead on the tip.
What about the Russian tactics?
Currently, the Russian army operates through Battalion Tactical Groups (BTG), which are autonomous combat units made up of tanks, infantry and artillery.
The precise composition of these units can vary, but they generally comprise a large number of armored vehicles and relatively few infantry troops.
“Russia has relatively few troops to call upsays Phillips O’Brien, professor of strategic studies at the University of St Andrews, “so BTGs are a way of creating a very powerful fighting unit.
The top of the tanks is the least protected, so it has become a target for missiles.
“They are designed to attack quickly with a lot of firepower. However, they have very little protection in terms of infantry personnel to escort them and retaliate if the armored column is attacked,” he says.
“That makes the Russian military like a boxer who has a big right hook and a glass jaw.”
Likewise, O’Brien asserts that the lack of Russian air patrols means that Ukrainian troops it was easy for them hereach certain positions that allow them to ambush columns of Russian tanks.
“Russia did not gain air supremacy at the beginning of the conflict,” he maintains, “and that is why they cannot patrol the skies to detect the movements of the Ukrainian army.”
“That means that the Ukrainian troops have been able to put themselves in good firing positions for ambushes and have been able to cause a lot of damage in this way,” adds the professor.
Is there incompetence in the Russian army?
According to Oryx figures, half of the tanks that Russia has lost have not been destroyed or damaged by the enemy, but have been captured or abandoned.
Tractors pull a missile launcher in Ukraine.
Experts attribute this to logistical failures and incompetence of the Russian troops.
“Photos have been seen of Russian tanks being pulled by Ukrainian farmers’ tractors,” says O’Brien.
The expert also explained that some tanks were abandoned because they ran out of fuel. Others got stuck in the spring mud because – in what he described as logistical failures – the high command invaded at the wrong time of year.
“Russia’s ground forces are made up of many conscripts. That makes them, in global terms, a low to medium quality fighting force,” says RUSI’s Nick Reynolds.
“Many tanks have been abandoned due to poor driving. Some have been thrown off bridges. Others have been driven into ditches so that the tracks will come off. The ability of troops to use their equipment has been lacking.”
US-supplied Javelin missiles have destroyed dozens of Russian tanks in Ukraine.
“But often soldiers just abandon their vehicles and run away. So the will to fight has also been lacking,” he added.
Faced with the actions of the Russian army, the Ukrainian government has even issued instructions on how citizens abandoned military vehicles must be handed over.
The authorities also indicated that anyone who finds such “combat trophies” does not need to declare them for taxes.
Now you can receive notifications from BBC World. Download the new version of our app and activate it so you don’t miss out on our best content.
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