Despite economic sanctions Russia capable of producing 100 - 150 tanks per month.

The Russian military industry has overcome economic and technological challenges to increase its tank production significantly. The country's defense has produced about 2,100 tanks of various types in 2023. This increase represents a significant jump compared to previous years, with annual production limited to about 200 new tanks. This increase in main battle tank production comes as Russia faces severe economic sanctions, which, however, do not seem to affect it.
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A Russian factory producing T-80BVM main battle tanks. (Picture source: Russian Media)

Russia's tank production industry is grappling with a significant challenge due to a shortage of qualified personnel. This issue is particularly acute for manufacturers of tanks and armored vehicles. Despite increasing salaries and offering other benefits, these manufacturers are facing difficulties in recruiting more workers and engineers. This shortage of skilled labor poses a serious obstacle to the expansion and sustainability of Russia's military production capabilities.

In addition to workforce challenges, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine presents a substantial obstacle for Russia's tank production. The war has led to considerable losses of tanks, with independent monitoring groups like Oryx estimating the losses at nearly 2,500 tanks. These losses not only represent a substantial depletion of Russia's armored forces but also put additional pressure on the country's tank manufacturing sector to replace the lost equipment and to adapt to the evolving demands of the battlefield.

Economic sanctions imposed by various countries constitute another significant hurdle for Russia's military industry, specifically impacting the mass production of combat tanks. These sanctions disrupt the supply chains and access to certain technologies and materials crucial for tank production. The imposition of these sanctions has complicated the logistical and financial aspects of manufacturing, potentially limiting Russia's ability to maintain and increase its production of combat tanks.

Lastly, the wear and tear of industrial equipment in the arms manufacturing sector is a major issue. The effort to maximize arms production capacity is leading to increased costs and losses, straining the already challenged industry. Russia's plan to use stocks of components and materials reserved for arms manufacturing in the years 2024-2025 might address some immediate needs, but it raises concerns about a possible decrease in production capacity in the future. This could lead to long-term challenges in maintaining a steady supply of military equipment, potentially affecting Russia's strategic capabilities.

In 2023, despite economic and technological challenges, the Russian military industry significantly increased its tank production. According to claims by Viktor Murakhovsky, a Russian military expert, the country's defense industry supplied the Russian army with about 2,100 tanks of various types, ranging from older models T-54/55 and T-62 to the latest T-90M Proryv. This increase is significant compared to previous data, which suggested an annual production of about 200 new tanks, specifically of the T-90M Proryv type. In 2023, the Russian army received 210 new tanks, compared to only 30 units in 2020, and the number of T-72B3 tanks delivered in 2023 is 840 vehicles, compared to 120 units in 2020.

To address various problems, Russia also decided to restart the production of the T-80 combat tank, a Soviet-era model, mainly due to its performance in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The T-80 has shown certain capabilities useful for the Russian Armed Forces, offering valuable insights into their potential usefulness. They have also introduced a new variant of this, the T-80BVM in 2023.

It is evident that despite a series of significant challenges, Russia has managed to intensify the production of tanks and armored vehicles. However, if Russia wants to repeat this feat in the coming years, some major problems still need to be resolved. So, not everything is yet won for Russia, even if this feat for the year 2023 is commendable.