Russia's combat power is weakening, and by 2026 the country may face a serious shortage of weapons. This was stated by high-ranking American and European officials and military experts interviewed by The Washington Post.
According to the US Defense Intelligence Agency, since February 2022, Russia has lost at least 10,000 pieces of ground combat equipment, including more than 3,000 tanks, as well as about 250 aircraft and helicopters and more than 10 naval vessels.
Western officials claim that "Russia is capable of producing at least 200 new tanks per year, but the country largely depends on restoring mothballed Soviet tanks." According to their estimates, in 2022 the stock of Soviet tanks amounted to 13,000 units.
Soviet tanks are likely to run out in the next few months. The reduction in Soviet equipment stocks will make Russia dependent on new systems produced from scratch.
The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation has repeatedly emphasized that the Russian Armed Forces receive modern armored vehicles, including T-72, T-80 and T-90 tanks, many of which have undergone deep modernization. In addition, Russian tanks are equipped with electronic warfare systems and anti-drone protection.
Read more on the topic:
Quiet Omsk "eighties": UVZ supplied T-80BVM tanks with new anti-drone protection to the troops
The National Interest: Russia relies on modernized T-72, T-80 and T-90 tanks
