Russia deploys new ‘invisible’ main battle tanks in Ukraine for the first time: “Risky decision” | War Ukraine and Russia

The T-14 Armata main battle tanks are being deployed to fire at Ukrainian positions from a distance, but they have not yet taken part in “direct attack operations”, the Russian news agency ‘RIA’ reported on Tuesday.

In 2015, developers of the T-14 claimed it would be the world’s first “invisible” tank. The T-14 is actually the successor to the T-90 and has an unmanned gun turret – which the crew can operate from a heavily armored pod at the front of the tracked vehicle. The tanks reach a maximum speed of 80 kilometers per hour on the road.

LOOK. Ukrainian troops destroy entire column of Russian tanks in one fell swoop

RIA said the tanks are fitted with extra protection on their flanks and the crews have been taught “combat coordination” at training grounds in Ukraine.

Although it is still a question mark to what extent these new battle tanks can add value to the Russian army. It is possible that their use should mainly be viewed in the light of propaganda purposes.

In January, British military intelligence reported that Russian troops in Ukraine were reluctant to accept the first installment of the tanks because of their “poor condition”. The intelligence agency also concluded that any deployment of the T-14 would likely be “a risky decision” for Russia.

The T-14 would also present logistical problems for the Russian military, as it is larger and heavier than other Russian tanks. Its predecessor, the T-90, was lightly armored and extremely maneuverable on the battlefield.

“Perhaps only a few dozen units have been produced at most, while commanders probably have little confidence in these tracked vehicles,” the British army said. “The tank has been in development for eleven years and production has been plagued by problems and delays.”

The T-14 was first unveiled in 2015 and the Kremlin ordered 2,300 units by 2020. But that deadline was pushed back to 2025. In 2015, the developers of UralVagonZavod claimed that the T-14 main battle tank features high-tech equipment that will ‘hide’ from enemy radars. Co-creator Vyacheslav Khalitov boasted, “We essentially made an invisible tank.”

The Interfax news agency reported in December 2021 that state conglomerate Rostec had begun production of some 40 tanks, with delivery expected in 2023 or later.