Russia's Old Tanks Being Destroyed As Fast As They're Deployed

Russia has lost so many of its modern T-80 and T-90 tanks in Ukraine to drones, mines and anti-tank munitions that it is withdrawing them from service there. 

In their place, it is deploying old T-62 tanks from the 1960s and 70s. But while still armored, these tanks lack the modern electronics and targeting of the newer models, meaning that they are more vulnerable and are being destroyed almost as soon as they reach the battlefield. JL

Roman Pryhodko reports in Militarnyi:

The Russian army is increasingly losing old tanks, such as the T-62, in Ukraine. The total number of losses of T-62 tanks increased by 2.5 times, which is  due to the active use of these vehicles. Among the tanks used by the Russian army in the war against Ukraine, the losses of the T-90M,  if we take into account only the modernized vehicles, these losses are among the largest. Russia is trying to withdraw newer tanks to reserve units to preserve them, which is evident in the significant reduction in losses of T-80 family vehicles.

The Russian army is increasingly losing old tanks, such as the T-62, in Ukraine amid a general decrease in losses of newer vehicles.

Military analyst Richard Verecker reported this on the X platform.

A detailed analysis of the losses of Russian tanks in the war against Ukraine, based on visually confirmed data from Warspotting.net, revealed a significant decrease in the total number of losses, as well as significant changes in the composition of destroyed vehicles.

The main trend is the overall reduction in Russian tank losses, which has been going on for some time, but became particularly noticeable in June and July 2025.

Diagram of Russian tank losses in the war against Ukraine. Photo credits: Richard Vereker

At the same time, between March and July, the total number of losses of T-62 tanks increased by 2.5 times, which is likely due to the active use of these vehicles in the positions of the Russian occupiers.

According to the author of the study, Russia is trying to withdraw newer tanks to reserve units to preserve them, which is evident in the significant reduction in losses of T-80 family vehicles.

Since the beginning of the full-scale war, the Russian army has lost 3,545 tanks (as of July 2025). Particularly low rates of losses were recorded in June – 19 tanks and July – 25 tanks, which emphasizes the recent slowdown. At the beginning of 2025, the dynamics of losses were as follows: Liutyi – 70, March – 68, April – 60, May – 31, June – 22, July – 19, August (partially) – 2.

Among the total losses, T-72 tanks accounted for the largest number of tanks – 1529 units, followed by T-80 – 1113, T-62 – 274, and T-90 – 168 units.

Losses of Russian tanks over the past 7 months. Photo credits: Richard Vereker

Militarnyi previously reported that in July 2024, the Oryx analytical portal published information that the Russian army had lost its 100th most modern T-90M tank.

According to the open sources, the analysts were able to count 100 destroyed and damaged T-90M tanks using available photo and video materials.

This list also includes vehicles that were captured by the Ukrainian Defense Forces or abandoned by Russian crews on the battlefield without serious damage.

It should be noted that among all the tanks used by the Russian army in the war against Ukraine, the losses of the T-90M are relatively small, but if we take into account only the modernized vehicles, these losses are among the largest.