UK intelligence: Russia lost 2,600 tanks, 4,900 other armored vehicles since war began
Russian forces have lost a large number of armored vehicles since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine but they retain the capacity to replace battlefield losses and continue the war.
The UK Defense Ministry said this in an intelligence update on the X social media platform, Ukrinform reports.
According to the update, from February 24, 2022 to January 25, 2024, Russian Ground Forces (RGF) likely lost approximately 2,600 tanks and 4,900 other armored combat vehicles (ACVs) in Ukraine. RGF probably lost around 40% fewer vehicles in 2023 than in 2022.
"It is highly likely that the reduction in armored vehicle attrition rates occurred was due to the increasingly positional nature of the war in 2023 and because Russia spent a significant proportion of the year in a defensive posture," the ministry said.
Since early October 2023, RGF have been on the offensive in eastern Ukraine. During this period, Russian armored vehicle losses increased, and the RGF have likely lost up to 365 tanks and 700 armored combat vehicles but "only achieved minor territorial gains."
"Russia can probably generate at least 100 main battle tanks a month and therefore retains the capacity to replace battlefield losses and continue this level of offensive activity for the foreseeable future," the update said.
