Tactics help Russia utilize 60-year-old tanks in Ukraine

Russia used old T-55 and T-62 tanks as fire support weapons, instead of raiding the Ukrainian defense lines, which helped them to be effective.

Since late last year, Russia has begun withdrawing thousands of T-55 and T-62 tanks from storage and transferring them to the Ukrainian battlefield, to replenish armored units that have suffered heavy losses after months of fierce fighting.

Earlier this year, the Ukrainian military announced that it had captured several T-62s from Russian forces and was repairing and refitting them to return to the battlefield. This fact has led some Western experts to believe that Russia made a mistake by sending these more than 60-year-old tanks to the battlefield, and that they are almost no longer useful on the modern battlefield.

A Russian T-62M tank on the battlefield in Ukraine. Photo: Business Insider

However, a newly published report by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) stated that after initial confusion, the Russian army has found a way to effectively use the old armored tanks in storage, helping them continue to demonstrate their superiority in combat.

The report, conducted by RUSI after interviewing several Ukrainian officers who encountered older Russian tanks on the battlefield, shows that the force has significantly changed its tactics after the initial losses.

They no longer use old tanks as spearheads, directly attacking Ukraine's defense lines, because the T-55 and T-62 have less effective defense systems, and are less mobile and firepower-efficient than modern tanks, making them vulnerable to enemy fire with conventional anti-tank weapons.

Instead, Russia used T-55 and T-62 tanks as "mobile artillery platforms", serving as artillery backup, providing long-range fire support for infantry units, and participating in lightning raids on weak points in enemy defenses.

Russian T-62 tanks on a train in May 2022. Photo: Drive

“Russian armoured vehicle tactics have evolved significantly during the conflict,” the RUSI report said. “While the introduction of older tanks such as the T-55 and T-62 into combat has been ridiculed on social media, they are now being used as fire support vehicles, similar to BMPs and other infantry fighting vehicles, but more powerful.”

The report said that with the ability to hit targets more than 1.5 km away, T-55 and T-62 tanks "still pose a serious threat on the battlefield", especially in areas where they are less vulnerable to guided anti-tank weapons.

The 115mm smoothbore gun on the T-62 tank is not as powerful and accurate as heavy artillery, but it is more mobile and better protected, so it will provide better support for constantly moving infantry units, the report said.

Experts at RUSI also said that Russia often uses old tanks to conduct night raids, at the time when Ukrainian forces are regrouping, in order to "quickly approach the target area, fire as many bullets as possible in the shortest amount of time and then retreat".

The report said older Russian tanks were equipped with materials that block heat radiation and often attacked at dawn or dusk, a time known as thermal interference, when the tank is closest to its surrounding environment, making it difficult for heat-seeking sensors on guided anti-tank missiles to be effective.

Russian T-54/55 tanks on a train in a photo released on March 22. Photo: Drive

Some Western experts have recently said that the Russian military has exposed many weaknesses during the war in Ukraine, causing them to suffer heavy losses. The Institute for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, DC, estimated in February that Russia has lost more than 2,000 tanks since the conflict with Ukraine broke out in February 2022.

However, the RUSI report shows that Russia is learning from experience and adjusting its tactics, fighting style and promoting its strengths in other areas, such as electronic warfare or engineering. The way older tanks operate also proves that the Russian armored forces have made many improvements to adapt to the reality of the Ukrainian battlefield.

Nguyen Tien (According to Business Insider )

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