According to British intelligence, a small batch of the latest Russian T-14 Armata tanks is already ready for use at the front. However, Moscow hesitates to use them due to reservations about their technical state. As European Truth reports, this is what the British Ministry of Defense review says about the war in Ukraine.
It is noted that the Russian Federation has prepared a small batch of T-14s for use at the front in the war against Ukraine. This would be the first combat use of this model. However, Russian fighting forces hesitate due to an “unsatisfactory condition.”
It is not yet clear what “unsatisfactory condition” is halting production of the T-14 Armata. According to Western reports, Russia is said to have problems with the tank’s engine. It is also mentioned that problems have been found in the main battle tank’s thermal imaging system.
In 2021, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu described the planned 2022 production as an experimental batch. So it is unlikely that any of the T-14s in use will meet the standards of a new weapon that can be considered fully ready for use, according to the review.
British intelligence has already devoted one of its latest reviews to Armata tanks, stating that if the Russian Federation sends them to the front, it will be mainly for propaganda purposes since the use of these tanks poses a risk to the Russian army.
The Russian armed forces currently use T-72, T-80, and T-90M Proryv tanks for their war with Ukraine.
In November, the T-14 Armata was reportedly undergoing tests at a Kazan military training ground. A video of part of the T-14 training session was recorded. It showed a T-14 Armata tank speeding across muddy off-road terrain, closely followed by Russian infantrymen.