ALERT: Russia increases production of most modern T-90M tank to 300 yearly with target of 1,000 by 2028.

In an exclusive analysis by the Army Recognition editorial team, new intelligence indicates that Russia's annual production of T-90M Proryv main battle tanks has surged dramatically, with current output levels estimated at up to 300 units per year. This represents a tripling of production compared to pre-war figures in 2020 to 2021, which hovered around 60 tanks annually. Data sourced from multiple defense intelligence services and corroborated by the Conflict Intelligence Team (CIT) suggest that this figure could rise to as many as 1,000 tanks per year by 2028 if current trends persist and factory upgrades at Uralvagonzavod are fully realized.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

Russian Army T-90M Proryv main battle tank, the most modern in service, currently produced at a rate of 300 units per year, with plans to reach 1000 annually by 2028. (Picture source: Vitaly Kuzmin)

The T-90M Proryv is the most advanced and combat-effective Main Battle Tank (MBT) currently fielded by the Russian Armed Forces. It represents a significant evolution over earlier T-90 and T-90A variants, incorporating lessons from combat operations in Ukraine and Syria. Designed to compete with NATO-standard main battle tanks such as the Leopard 2A7, M1A2 SEP V3, and Leclerc XLR, the T-90M integrates a modernized 125mm 2A82-1M main gun, new-generation fire control systems, and digital battlefield management architecture, allowing for improved target acquisition, data sharing, and command efficiency in joint operations.

Its combat survivability has been considerably enhanced through the integration of the Relikt explosive reactive armor system, an upgrade from the Kontakt-5, offering better protection against tandem-charge warheads and kinetic energy penetrators. Additionally, the tank features modular armor panels and slat armor extensions, designed to counteract the rising threat posed by loitering munitions and kamikaze drones, tactics that have become central to Ukrainian anti-armor strategies. Moreover, Uralvagonzavod continues to refine the Proryv’s survivability suite with new counter-UAV protections, including active jamming systems and radar-warning receivers aimed at disrupting drone-guided strikes.

Despite Western sanctions, export controls, and the tightening of global supply chains, Russia has managed to preserve and even strengthen its defense industrial base. Uralvagonzavod's continued tank output now surpasses the combined armored vehicle production of several leading European NATO countries. Unlike many Western manufacturers operating on just-in-time logistics models and complex transnational supply chains, Russia retains vertically integrated production with in-country capabilities for casting, welding, and machining armored hulls and turrets. Additionally, state subsidies, mobilization decrees, and centralized defense planning have insulated core facilities from economic disruption.

The role of main battle tanks in the Ukrainian conflict remains central to Russian combined arms doctrine. T-90Ms are routinely deployed in breakthrough and support operations alongside motorized infantry and artillery units. Their firepower is leveraged for suppressing fortified positions, while their armor allows them to sustain fire support under high-intensity conditions. Even as man-portable ATGMs, FPV drones, and Western-supplied loitering munitions have inflicted severe losses on armored formations, Russian tactical adaptation has led to renewed focus on tank survivability upgrades and combined mobility-countermeasures such as smoke screens and EW cover.

According to the Conflict Intelligence Team website estimates, Russia has produced between 540 and 630 T-90M tanks since 2022. At least 130 have been visually confirmed destroyed or abandoned, leaving an operational strength of around 410 to 500 vehicles, accounting for approximately 15 percent of all tanks deployed by Russian forces on the Ukrainian frontlines. While confirmed irrecoverable Russian tank losses between 2022 and 2024 total over 3,100 units, the sustained delivery of newly built T-90Ms offsets a significant portion of that attrition.

Uralvagonzavod’s expansion efforts include procurement of high-efficiency welding systems and automated machining centers, with plans for continuous three-shift operations to maximize throughput. This industrial push suggests that Russia is preparing not only to meet current battlefield requirements but to replenish strategic reserves and possibly support foreign military clients should geopolitical conditions allow.

If sanctions enforcement remains inconsistent and access to precision manufacturing tools is not curtailed, Russia may well achieve or exceed its projected production targets by the end of this decade. Such a scenario would fundamentally alter the balance of land combat power in Eurasia and elevate the risk profile for NATO forces deployed in Eastern Europe. The evolution of the T-90M thus remains a critical focal point for both military analysts and policymakers monitoring Russian rearmament in the context of long-term strategic competition.

On the battlefield, the T-90M has demonstrated capabilities that rival or exceed many of the Western tanks currently fielded by Ukrainian forces. The Ukrainian Army operates a mix of Soviet-era tanks such as the T-64BV, T-72M1, and T-80BV, alongside Western-supplied platforms including the German Leopard 2A4 and A6, British Challenger 2, and a limited number of American M1A1SA Abrams tanks. While older Soviet models lag significantly behind the T-90M in terms of optics, targeting systems, and armor protection, the Western-supplied tanks offer a closer match in firepower and protection.

However, the T-90M’s battlefield advantage lies in its adaptability and integration into Russian tactical doctrine. The Kalina fire control system and panoramic thermal sights give it night-fighting capabilities on par with NATO standards. Unlike the M1A1SA or Leopard 2A4 variants, which lack the latest active protection systems in their Ukrainian configurations, the T-90M’s combination of Relikt ERA and soft-kill countermeasures gives it a greater chance of surviving modern threats, particularly from top-attack drones and shoulder-fired ATGMs.

Moreover, the T-90M's autoloader system allows a three-man crew configuration and maintains a high rate of fire without sacrificing internal space. The Proryv's maneuverability on soft terrain and under Arctic conditions, tested during various exercises and combat trials, also enhances its operational flexibility in diverse Ukrainian terrains where Western tanks may face maintenance or logistic constraints.

In terms of technical specifications, the T-90M is built on a modified T-90 chassis powered by a V-92S2F diesel engine generating 1,130 horsepower, giving it a maximum road speed of up to 70 kilometers per hour and a cruising range of around 550 kilometers. Its main armament, the 125mm 2A82-1M smoothbore gun, is capable of firing APFSDS rounds, high-explosive fragmentation shells, and Refleks anti-tank guided missiles. For secondary armament, the tank is equipped with a coaxial 7.62mm PKT machine gun and a remotely controlled 12.7mm Kord heavy machine gun. Its armor configuration includes multi-layered composite armor combined with Relikt ERA, enhanced side skirts, and slat armor that provides protection against RPGs and drone attacks.

While Western tanks supplied to Ukraine boast superior passive armor and crew ergonomics, the Russian T-90M  MBT continues to receive incremental upgrades tailored to emerging threats. New variants being tested reportedly feature drone detection systems, hard-kill protection suites, and advanced electronic warfare packages designed to blind or confuse enemy drones and fire control systems. As the conflict in Ukraine evolves into a war of attrition and adaptation, the T-90M's role as the spearhead of Russian armored warfare will remain critical to Moscow’s strategy, both in sustaining front-line pressure and in shaping the postwar balance of military power in the region.