On August 21st 2008, a Russian T62 tank crossed the highway connecting Tbilisi to western Georgia. … [+]
Russia is still facing setbacks in the unprovoked, unwarranted war with Ukraine. The Kremlin continues to rely on outdated or obsolete military hardware. The Cold War-era tanks, which have been removed from storage and reported to be being moved to the frontlines are most notable.
A video showing 60-year old T-62 tanks stacked up in Russia on railroad cars was circulated online over the weekend.
Russia took out the Soviet tanks from conservation – without any protection against modern weaponry. We’ve seen the conditions they live in. “Perfect combination, doomed to success, I would think,” said Anton Gerashchenko (a consultant to the Ukrainian government).
You could argue that these tanks should be kept in museums and not on the battlefield. Many of Russia’s most modern tanks, including the more powerful ones, were displayed in Kyiv as well as other cities in western Europe throughout the summer after they had been disabled at the frontlines. Social media users have made fun of the Russian military.
T-62 remains a combat machine that is capable of fighting, according to some experts in military hardware. This point has not been addressed by many posts on Facebook or Twitter.
John Adams-Graf (military vehicle historian, editor, and author of) stated that while recent Russian deployments might make it seem like Russia is reduced to sub-par equipment no one should underestimate the power upgraded T-62s. The History of Motion. The former Soviet Union made more than 22,000 T-62s in the period 1962-1975. This means that there are more than 22,000 T-62s in the former Soviet Union between 1962 and 1975. LotThere are many parts that can be used to repair the vehicle. This vehicle is familiar to many Reservists. It’s far more straightforward than T-72 or T-80.
Adams-Graf said that T-62M, and T-62MV versions were being deployed in Ukraine. These are both modernizations of T-62. The package includes the BDD applicator armor and mobility improvements, as well the ‘Volna’ fire control system. The T-62MVs also have the enhanced protective Kontakt-1’ explosive reactive arm (ERA) at the sides and front of each turret.
Adams-Graf said, “Even though the West might find it reassuring that Russia is forced to deploy’second-line tanks’ to Ukraine in order to maintain their security, the truth is that these T-62Ms/T-62MVs are extremely lethal weapon systems that provide protection that will defeat many hand-held anti-tank guns that have been so fatal to Russian armor over the past six-months.”
The Movements Reported on Social Media
It is notable that the video of tanks being loaded on a train was also widely circulated. Because of the social media revolution, it is becoming increasingly hard for major powers not to share their actions online.
This information has been a problem for the United States since its inception. It is not easy to hide a whole trainload of tanks.
According to Dr. Matthew Schmidt (associate professor of political science and national security at the University of New Haven), “What’s different is that the United States army has a public affairs division, which has complicated ways of managing the media.”
This is essential for any country that values freedom of expression. Schmidt stated that the country has citizens who appreciate the balance between operational security and public information. Russia is the opposite. It doesn’t even care about what others post. Instead, it has attempted to control them.
The recent video shows that Russia’s efforts to regulate the flow information are failing just as much as its battlefield successes.
Schmidt said, “They use a heavy hand.” Schmidt said, “But this might just drive people more to post!”
