Russia dusts off its old tanks: T-54 and T-55 are now to be used in Ukraine, reports the Georgian Conflict Intelligence Team (CIT). The ancient tanks were fetched from military depots and taken across Russia by train – instead of admiration, they were mostly ridiculed, because the models date from the late 1940s and once formed the backbone of the Red Army at the beginning of the East-West conflict. Only in the 1960s were they replaced by the T-62 model.
But why is Putin bringing out the old tanks again: Russian tactics or just a lack of tanks?
T-55 tank was not modernized
The Russian T-55 tank was introduced back in 1958 – and that’s not even the birth date of its predecessor, the T-54, which went into production back in 1947. For comparison: The German Leopard 2 has been rolling over the battlefields of this world since 1978. And its predecessor, the Leopard 1, was built in 1965.
But not only the age itself is decisive, but also the question of when no more modernization took place. And here are worlds between the T-55 and the German Leopard 2: While the T-55 is only in use in its basic form, the Leopard 2 has undergone numerous upgrades in order to be able to survive in modern conflict scenarios.
“If this happens to you in war, you’re cannon fodder”
With a weight of 36 tons, it is now considered light, but its 560 hp engine is not particularly powerful. Its 100 mm cannon can hardly harm modern tanks in open battle and penetrates the frontal armor. In addition, the tank only has room for a four-man crew and has no loading device. The chariot gun, on the other hand, is fully stabilized.
With a speed of 25 km/h off-road and 50 km/h on the road, the T-55 does not break any records either. The steel armor also does not protect against modern weapon systems, but offers protection against splinters and light fire from machine guns or assault guns.
What’s more, the T-55 tank doesn’t have a heater, so it gets pretty cold in the winter, a former soldier told Opposite RTL . And he goes on to say: “The difficult thing is the operation, you have no hydraulic or electrical help. In addition, there are often breakdowns and you get stuck. If that happens to you in war, you’re cannon fodder.”
Putin lacks heavy equipment
And yet Putin seems to want to go back to the museum tank. One reason the Russians are going back to the old tank is the lack of heavy equipment in Russia. Moscow lost so many modern tanks in the war against Ukraine that it now has to fall back on the outdated ones. In the fierce house-to-house fighting in Bakhmut, infantry was mainly used, but the situation was different at other focal points of the Russian offensive: in Wuhledar, Avdijwka and Kreminna, the losses of battle tanks and armored vehicles were extremely high.
According to information from Military Blogs Oryx around 1900 tanks have already been lost – and this is only the confirmed number. The situation is similar according to a study by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). That’s about half of the active fleet. There are also another 5,000 stored tanks whose condition is unclear. The high losses of Russian soldiers must also be taken into account: According to Western estimates, between 20,000 and 30,000 men fell in the Battle of Bakhmut alone. Due to the high losses in men and material, the Russian offensive has clearly come to a standstill. In addition, a Ukrainian spring offensive is expected.
Problems in the Russian tank production industry
Russian tank production is therefore facing major challenges: In view of the enormous losses in the battle against Ukraine, hopelessly inferior Soviet models may now have to secure the front. This points to massive problems in the Russian industry. The already difficult task of compensating for the losses is made even more difficult by the sanctions imposed by the West.
It remains questionable whether Russia will even be able to achieve the announced production of 1500 tanks this year. The number given by ex-president Dmitry Medvedev is considered exaggerated and may also include the restoration of older vehicles.
That’s why Putin is now using a different tactic and is apparently planning to use museum tanks. So tactically, the Russians rely on mass and therefore have to fall back on old equipment – despite the risk of their own losses. In the course of the war so far there have only been a few direct duels between tanks. Instead they are used more as improvised artillery or for backup behind the lines. However, a Ukrainian spring offensive could lead to more direct tank duels again.
Putin could lose more soldiers
According to the US think tank, this would put Putin at great risk for the Russian armed forces „The Institute for the Study of War (ISW)“ . The use of inferior equipment to increase the Russian military’s capabilities could lead to a further reduction in Russian forces in Ukraine, the ISW said. Because of the high losses in the winter offensive, Russia will lack well-trained soldiers in the future, who are not really safe in the museum tanks.
How effective these tanks will be against the Ukrainian armored vehicles is unclear, according to the ISW. However, the museum tanks are said to be very vulnerable to many anti-tank systems available to Ukraine, according to the ISW.
However, it is still unclear whether the antique vehicles will actually be used. Experts doubt that the old tanks are compatible with the modern models and can therefore only serve as a spare parts store. It is more likely that they will be modernized and only used in emergencies.
