Russian pride takes a hit as tank stalls

As the pride of Russia’s rearmament programme, the new generation Armata tank is reputedly equipped with a revolutionary turret design and the world’s most advanced armour.

Alas, that is unlikely to be enough to protect whoever was responsible for an embarrassing breakdown of the tank in front of thousands of onlookers at Red Square yesterday. Subsequent efforts to hitch it up to a recovery vehicle and tow it away were abandoned.

When the parade announcer claimed that the stoppage had been planned to demonstrate battlefield evacuation procedures, there was laughter from the large audience watching the rehearsal.

The Armata, or T-14, is a centrepiece of President Vladimir Putin’s 20 trillion ruble (NZ$540b) 10-year military modernisation programme.

Billed by Russian media as the most advanced tank in the world, it has made headlines around the world with its first public appearances this week, during rehearsals for tomorrow’s VE-Day parade marking victory over Nazi Germany.

However, scepticism about the combat readiness of the vehicle appeared to be borne out.

Woe betide a repeat performance in front of the 25 heads of state expected in Moscow for the celebrations, including Ban Ki Moon, the UN secretary-general, President Xi of China, a gaggle of central Asian dictators and President Mugabe of Zimbabwe. The VE-Day parade is Russia’s most important non-religious holiday and has extra significance this year in the light of Russia’s stand-off with Western nations over Ukraine.

Russian politicians have accused Washington of pressuring EU leaders not to attend. Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, will sidestep controversy over the symbolism of the parade and lay flowers to the memory of the dead on Sunday in Moscow.