Ukraine’s armored fleet reportedly surpasses Russia’s for the first time
In a significant turn of events, Ukraine has reportedly more operational tanks than Russia, according to recent military data estimates.
A recent Bloomberg report, which gathered data from various military studies sources, estimated that Ukraine currently has about 1,500 tanks in operation, while Russia has approximately 1,400.
An International Institute for Strategic Studies assessment pointed out that when the war began in February 2022, Russia had 3,417 tanks available, and Ukraine had 987.
Since then, the Ukrainian armored fleet has only grown, while the Russian one has suffered significant losses.
Despite losses, Ukraine’s growth is attributed to receiving tanks from allies and capturing some from the battlefield.
Russian tank numbers have substantially declined, with over 2,000 tanks reportedly lost in the conflict.
Experts cite strategic mistakes and inadequate training as reasons for this substantial loss.
However, this numerical advantage in tanks does not guarantee victory for Ukraine.
As explained by risk analyst Nelson Ricardo Fernandes Silva, the absence of air superiority could render the tank surplus less impactful.
This reality was seen in the Iraq war, where U.S. air power decimated Iraqi armor despite its numbers.
In a step towards achieving air superiority, Ukraine has started to receive MiG-29 fighter jets from NATO countries Poland and Slovakia, with training on American-made F-16s expected to start soon.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief