Russian state media announced last week that the military had begun “withdrawing” Armata tanks from the front line in Ukraine.
The state-run TASS news agency reported that Russian Army Group South has used several Armata main battle tanks in direct assault operations.
“The purpose of using the Armata was to test and observe how the combat vehicles would perform in actual combat environments,” TASS quoted the source, adding that “… the tanks were withdrawn from the front line.”
Meanwhile, British intelligence was skeptical about Russia deploying the newest and most powerful tanks to Ukraine. The update from UK officials said that the T-14 Armata may soon be seen in Ukraine but probably wouldn’t feature in any actual fighting.
“If Russia deploys T-14, it will likely primarily be for propaganda purposes,” the report concluded. “Production is probably only in the low tens, while commanders are unlikely to trust the vehicle in combat.”
Russia’s next-generation main battle tank, the T-14 Armata, is designed around the unmanned turret, which makes it unlike any other main battle tank (MBT) in service and gives it a unique set of advantages and disadvantages.
The T-14 is a high-tech vehicle that faces numerous problems in its development. Moscow first ordered production of 2,300 of the tanks by 2020, but that goal has since been pushed back to 2025.
