Because Ukraine now has more tanks than when the war started

By David Ax

Ukraine has lost at least 74 tanks – destroyed or occupied by Russian forces – since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24.

But Ukraine has seized at least 117 Russian tanks, according to analysts who have been scrutinizing photos and videos on social media.

In other words, the Ukrainian army may actually have more tanks now than it did a month ago, without building a single brand new tank or removing any older ones from storage.

Meanwhile, the Russians have occupied at least 37 Ukrainian tanks, a small number that does not make up for the approximately 274 tanks believed to have been lost for whatever reason.

The inequality in numbers shows Russia’s lack of preparation for a high-intensity war against a determined enemy. But it also shows the advantages that every defender has over every attacker.

Russia has to move its forces in Ukraine tens or hundreds of kilometers, extending its poorly protected supply lines and risking running out of ammunition and fuel. Many of these tanks occupied by the Ukrainians simply sat there, without fuel, with their crews abandoned.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian army is enjoying the advantages of its position. The forces of the Ukrainian army are fighting near the big cities and their bases. The supply lines of the Ukrainians are limited within their own defensive perimeter, instead of spreading along unprotected highways.

All this means that Ukrainian tanks are much less likely to run out of fuel in the middle of the war zone.

These 117 tanks seized by Ukraine are the only ones that analysts can visually confirm. The actual total is almost certainly much higher. Videos of Ukrainian farmers towing abandoned Russian vehicles have become symbols of Ukraine’s resistance.

It is difficult to confirm how many of the vehicles and tanks seized by Ukraine are suitable for further use. There are many videos of Russian tanks being towed. There are far fewer who show the same chariots returning to action in Ukrainian colors.

But it helps that Ukraine uses many of the same tanks that Russia uses. The main tank of the Ukrainian army, the T-64, is no longer actively used in the Russian army. But the Ukrainians also use at least two models still used by the Russians, the T-72 and the T-80.

The T-80 is actually an evolution of the T-64, which is one of the most advanced tanks ever produced by Soviet industry. The T-72, on the other hand, is a simpler, cheaper tank, suitable for mass production and easy field support. It is no coincidence that Ukraine generally assigns its T-72s to reserve formations.

In any case, there are not many hijacked Russian tanks that Ukraine can not use in any capacity. The question is how quickly the Kiev army can repair any damage from a snatched tank, refuel it, refuel it with ammunition and assign it to a properly trained crew.

This could happen in a few days, if the videos depicting former Russian T-72 and T-80 in battle on the Ukrainian side are indicative. Russia attacked on February 24. No later than March 11, former Russian tanks returned fire on the Russians.

The constant transfer to Ukraine of hundreds and hundreds of seized tanks, combat vehicles, artillery, air defense systems and trucks underscores the challenge facing Russia in achieving any of its strategic goals in Ukraine.

It is noteworthy that, at the same time that Russia was begging Syria for a thousand mercenaries last week, Ukraine was mobilizing reserve forces numbering 150,000 fresh soldiers.

These reserves probably have no problem with their equipment. Many of them will fall on a former Russian T-72, cleaned of all traces of the old crew and with freshly painted Ukrainian insignia.