Russian T-14 Main Battle Tanks Reportedly Deployed to Ukraine for the First Time – Russia has deployed a number of T-14 Armata main battle tanks (MBTs) to Ukraine. Although the tanks haven’t been employed in direct assault operations, the Kremlin has been using its advanced T-14s to fire on Ukrainian positions, the Russian RIA state news agency first reported on Tuesday morning.
The state media outlet further said that the tanks had been fitted with extra protection on the sides while the crews have undergone “combat coordination” at training grounds in Ukraine.
It is unclear where the T-14 tanks may have been deployed – if in fact, RIA’s reporting is even true – and it is likely that only a handful of the tanks have even been sent anywhere near the front lines. The tanks are unlikely to play a significant role in the fighting.
The T-14 Armata was first unveiled in the annual Victory Day parade in Moscow in 2015, and while there are reports of its deployment in Syria, the advanced war machine has been entirely absent from Ukraine – at least until now.
Few T-14s Produced – Little Faith in the Tank
The Kremlin has only a few dozen T-14s in its arsenals at most, and Russia has struggled to reach serial production. While original plans had called for 2,300 of the advanced MBTs to eventually be manufactured, and for it to replace the Russian Army’s stock of older tanks, the number was reduced to a few hundred due to its high costs
It would be extremely risky for Russia to send the T-14 MBTs to the front, a sentiment noted by the British Ministry of Defence (MoD) earlier this year.
“Production is probably only in the low tens, while commanders are unlikely to trust the vehicle in combat,” the British military said via a series of tweets in late January.
“Eleven years in development, the programme has been dogged with delays, reduction in planned fleet size, and reports of manufacturing problems.”
Even if Russia had significant numbers of the T-14, which it doesn’t, adjusting the logistics chain to handle the MBT would present added challenges as it is larger and heavier than other Russian tanks.
“If Russia deploys T-14, it will likely primarily be for propaganda purposes,” the MoD suggested.
Moscow may be opting to simply steal some thunder from the fact that Western-made main battle tanks including the Challenger 2 and Leopard 2 are now headed to Ukraine. Moreover, Western media – including 19FortyFive – has routinely reported on the fact that the Kremlin has been forced to call up Cold War-era tanks including the T-62 and even the T-54/55 series, the latter platform is even as old as Russian President Vladimir Putin.
T-14 in Ukraine: Propaganda Coup or Risky Move?
Russia may be looking to put its own spin on the story and may want to suggest it has more capable vehicles on the way.
But that could be an especially risky move to make.
Should Ukraine destroy even a single T-14, it would almost certainly be a disaster for the Kremlin, yet, if one were to be captured it would be a major propaganda coup for Kyiv. Not only would be put the capabilities of the vehicle into question, but it would also reveal classified details about the tank to the world.
MORE: Video – Ukraine Has Massive New NATO ‘Cannon’ Ready To Fight Russia
MORE: Hunter Biden Has a Big China Problem
Author Experience and Expertise
A Senior Editor for 19FortyFive, Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu.
