Sources from the field say that Russia has sent 50 T-90s – top modern tanks – to a relatively small area in the Donbas, where fierce fighting with Ukraine is taking place.
Russian defense contractor Uralvagonzavod has produced for the country’s army 600 T-90 tanks. The T-90 weighs 45 tons and can carry 3 people with a 125mm gun and solid armor is considered the best Russian tank.
Forbes cited field sources as saying that Russia seems to have sent up to 50 T-90s to Svatove – a relatively small area in the Donbas region, the Eastern battlefield.
According to observers, the fact that Russia is concentrating a large number of its most modern tanks in this area seems to show the Kremlin’s priorities when the war between this country and Ukraine has dragged on for 10 months.
Svatove, a town with a pre-conflict population of 16,000, is adjacent to the P66 highway that runs through forests and fields to Severodonetsk, one of the larger cities in the Donbas.
Russia took control of Severodonetsk in June and makes keeping the city a top priority. Meanwhile, Ukraine is actively counter-attacking to regain this strategic city.
To reach Severodonetsk from the north, Ukrainian forces needed to move through Svatove. The 92nd Mechanized Brigade – one of Ukraine’s most elite brigades was assigned to this task.
The 92nd Motorized Brigade uses well-maintained T-64 tanks and BTR combat vehicles. Since the outbreak of war in February, the brigade has been fighting in and around Kharkiv province, north of Svatove. Now, they are bringing in Severodonetsk’s sights.
According to Forbes, a fleet of T-90 tanks, with the support and cover of BMPT armor, is on a mission to intercept Ukraine’s 92nd motorized brigade.
The main point of interest is that the number of T-90s that Russia has mobilized is up to 50 in a relatively small area. According to Forbes , Russia on paper has 600 T-90s, but in reality they seem to have around 400 in winter ready condition. According to field intelligence sources, Russia is said to have lost 36 aircraft in the past 10 months of hostilities. Therefore, Russia seems to have about 360 T-90s ready to go, and up to 50 are concentrated in Svatove.
This shows that Russia is prioritizing resources to firmly defend its achievements in the Donbass.
In the middle of the year, Russia captured Severodonetsk and Lysychansk, important Ukrainian defenses in Lugansk. From these cities, Russia can create a springboard for complete control of the Donbass (including Lugansk and Donetsk).
However, experts also warn that tanks are also quite vulnerable to small groups of infantry carrying precision-guided anti-tank missiles. Russia can face a great threat from its opponents when it gathers a large number of T-90s in the Donbass before the Ukrainian ambushes.
The T-90 was developed in the post-Soviet era. This is a version of the T-72 equipped with new technology. It has a top speed of more than 60km/h, is equipped with a 7.62mm PKTM 6P7K machine gun mounted on a turret and has a range of 550km using a V-12 diesel engine.
The T-90 series are considered to be the top modern tanks in the Russian arsenal with advanced explosive reactive armor, defense systems, and effective fire control systems that make it possible to fire far and accurately. more on target.
