image source,Getty Images
Ukla soldiers stand on destroyed Russian tanks
Russia invaded Ukraine and is believed to have lost hundreds of tanks and armored vehicles over a nearly two-month period.
Military experts believe that Russia lost so many tanks because the anti-tank weapons provided by Western countries in Ukraine are very advanced, and the second is due to the unfavorable tactical operation of the Russian army.
image source,Getty Images
Javelin missile destroys multiple Russian tanks
How bad are Russian tank losses?
The military intelligence blog “Oryx” calculates the losses of Russia’s military operations in Ukraine based on photos sent by the war zone.
The blog site said Russia had lost more than 460 tanks, as well as more than 2,000 armored vehicles, and the Ukrainian military said Russia had lost more than 680 tanks.
Before the fighting began, the Russian army had about 2,700 battle tanks, according to the Rand Corporation, a U.S. think tank, and the International Institute for Strategic Studies.
How effective are anti-tank weapons?
At the start of the war, the United States supplied Ukraine with 2,000 anti-tank Javelin missiles, and later added at least 2,000 more.
The UK also currently supplies at least 3,600 Light Anti-Tank Weapons (NLAW).
Lockheed Martin, the maker of the Javelin missile, said that when the Javelin missile is fired, the missile explodes above the tank, where the armor is weakest.
Many Russian tanks are equipped with reactive armor that absorbs the impact of missile explosions.
But the Javelin missile is equipped with two warheads, one warhead can blow up the reaction armor, and the second warhead can pierce the car hull under the armor.
Like the Javelin missile, the NLAW light anti-tank weapon provided by the United Kingdom to Ukraine was also aimed at the relatively weak upper battery part of the tank and exploded.
Nick Reynolds, a research analyst at the Royal United Services Institute, said: “The Javelin missile and the NLAW are both very effective and without this weapon that can destroy tanks, the situation in Ukraine could be very different now. “
In addition, the United States also provided Ukraine with 100 “Switchblade” anti-tank drones.
The anti-tank drone, also known as the “kamikaze” drone, is piloted by the operator from miles away to hover over the target, then drop over the tank and explode above the tank, carrying a The warhead destroys the tank.
How did Russian tactics go wrong?
The Russian Army now uses Battalion Tactical Groups as its basic organization unit, which is a combined arms mobile unit with combat units such as tanks, infantry and artillery.
The specific configuration and composition of a battalion-level tactical group varies from person to person, but generally includes a large number of armored vehicles and a relatively small number of infantry units.
Phillips O’Brien, professor of tactical studies at St Andrews University in the United Kingdom, said: “Russia can rely on relatively small numbers of infantry, and the battalion-level tactical group is a fighting force that produces a strong strike.”
“The advantage of the battalion-level tactical group is that it has strong firepower and fast strikes, but when the armored column is attacked, it lacks the protection of infantry personnel.”
“It’s like a boxer, punching hard and powerful, but the boxer’s jaw is as fragile as glass.”
image source,Getty Images
The armor above the tank is the weakest and the target of modern anti-tank weapons
O’Brien said that without Russian air patrols, Ukranian forces could easily have taken advantage of the vantage point to ambush a column of Russian tanks.
“Russia didn’t have air superiority at the start of the war, so they couldn’t patrol the air, and they couldn’t be sure of the whereabouts of Ukrainian troops.”
“This means that Ukrainian forces can take a good position to launch an ambush so they can do a lot of damage.”
How bad is Russia’s combat power?
According to the military intelligence blog “Oryx”, half of the tanks lost by Russia were not destroyed or damaged by the enemy, but were captured by the enemy or even abandoned by their own forces.
Experts believe that this is due to the failure of logistical supplies and the poor combat effectiveness of Russian troops.
“You’ve seen photos of Russian tanks being towed by Ukrainian agricultural tractors,” O’Brien said.
“Some tanks were abandoned by their own troops because they ran out of fuel, which was a logistical failure, and some tanks were stuck in spring mud and couldn’t move because the season of the offensive was not right.”
Ukrainian agricultural tractor towing a Russian tank
“Russian ground forces are mostly conscripts, so at world level they are nothing more than low to mid-level combat units,” said Reynolds of the Royal United Institute of Technology.
“Many tanks were forced to be abandoned because of poor value and technology. Some rushed out of bridges and some drove into trenches. The troops lacked the ability to use equipment.”
“There are still many times when Russian soldiers just drop their tanks and run away. They don’t have the will to fight.”
The Ukrainian government has issued guidelines to civilians on what to do if they find abandoned military vehicles.
Ukrainian authorities have also said that anyone who finds “booty” does not need to pay taxes on it.