Technical failures and low morale in Putin’s tanks
Plunging morale and technical failures are to blame for Russia’s military losses suffered by elite tank columns, according to an expert in armoured warfare.
David Willey assessed the state of the conflict as US defence sources suggested Ukrainian forces may now have more tanks and armoured vehicles on the ground than Vladimir Putin’s army.
Willey, curator of the Tank Museum, said: “In the West there has been a tendency to buy into the Putin myth and overestimate the abilities of Russia’s forces.
“They have much fewer of them but tanks are being used far more efficiently by the Ukrainians.
“Russia’s use of tanks has been abysmally poor. Tanks on their own are less effective – they have to be used in a combined arms role with infantry, airpower, artillery and logistics.
“Russia’s military has really been failing in their use of equipment. Technology alone is not what makes tanks effective.
“If the tank is not being operated by trained, motivated soldiers then it will be destroyed by less quality equipment.”
Last month, a Pentagon official said the US will help with the transfer of Sovietmade tanks to the Donbas.
Britain has provided heavy-duty weapons to Ukraine including the anti-tank Javelin and NLAW missile systems.
The Ukrainian defence ministry recently shared images of the aftermath of a battle that destroyed dozens of Russian tanks and armoured vehicles that had attempted to cross the Siverskyi Donets River on pontoon bridges.
Drone images of the battle showed nearly three dozen smashed vehicles.