Quote:
Originally Posted by Vespers War
I'm still a little surprised they haven't tried to swap T-62s for the newer tanks of their puppets in Donetsk and Luhansk. The T-62 has a different caliber gun from everything else Russia uses, complicating logistics that Russia already has problems with, and with no autoloader it needs an extra crewmember, exacerbating Russia's manpower shortages.
Even Ukraine hasn't reactivated their ~300 T-62, sticking to the T-64, T-72, and T-80/84 from domestic stocks (and donations), along with captured T-90 and donated PT-91 and M-55S.
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As far as I've seen in the news, both Republics are using T62s, just like Syria has been getting. In fact, when I first saw them (T62s), I thought they were DPR tanks until they showed up with Russian units that appeared in late August. I do have a theory though. I'm wondering if they aren't using T62s because they bought ammo from North Korea. NK has only a handful of T72s with the 125mm, but they have THOUSANDS of T62s. Maybe Russia is "buying time" with untrained conscripts and second-line tanks until they can get their T72s refurbished and rearmed?
Why this theory? Multiple sources inside Russia as well as open source video intel suggest that up to 1,000 T72s have been pulled from mothballs and are being "reconditioned" by Russia at her tank factories. T90 production has stopped (probably because of sanctions). If sources are correct, Russia has lost HALF of its tank force in Ukraine to everything from casualties to simple breakdowns. Heavy logistical supply is pretty suspect according to POWs who have been interviewed and many tanks are deploying with less than HALF of a combat load of ammo. Could Russia rebuild its force structure? I don't see why not. There are something like 3k "deadlined" T72s and another 3k that are basically scrap at this point. Using the scrap to relife the deadlined units seems like a no-brainer to me.