Russia is preparing to send T-14 tanks into combat operations in Ukraine, but such a decision involves a high risk due to a number of problems with the model, the British Ministry of Defense said in an assessment on Thursday morning.

T-14 “Armata” tanks looked good in parades, but how they will behave in the war remains to be seenPhoto: DreamsTime / Ihor Dolgov

What British military experts say:

  • Russia is likely considering deploying a small number of T-14 Armata main battle tanks in Ukraine.
  • In late December 2022, some (satellite) images captured a T-14 at a training ground in southern Russia: this location was associated with a pre-deployment for an operation in Ukraine.
  • The images came after pro-government publications in Russia claimed the T-14s were ready for combat. However, it is unclear whether Russia has already taken this type of tank to Ukraine.
  • Any deployment of the T-14 would likely be a risky decision for Russia. During its eleven years of development, the program was plagued by delays, reductions in the planned number of units, and reports of production problems.
  • An additional challenge for Russia is adapting its logistics chain to work with the T-14, as it is larger and heavier than other Russian tanks.
  • If Russia does deploy the T-14, it will likely be primarily for propaganda purposes. Production is probably only a few dozen copies, and commanders probably won’t trust this machine in combat.

(article photo: © Igor Dolgov | Dreamstime.com)