Ukrainian Attackers Are Destroying 5-to-10 Russian Tanks Every Day

by Kris Osborn, President, Center for Military Modernization

Ukraine’s anti-armor tactics, dispersed hit-and-run ambushes and surprise attacks on intersections, crossroads and narrowly configured passageways against Russian invaders are known to have exacted a devastating impact upon Russian tanks.  Since the earliest days of the war, Ukrainian Javelin, NLAW and Carl Gustaf anti-armor weapons have been targeting and destroying advancing Russian armor using building and terrain to obscure attack positions and “top-down” attacks to strike Russian tanks where they are most vulnerable. 

What may have begun as largely defensive movements to thwart and destroy a large-scale Russian mechanized invasion has evolved into a more significant, mechanized Combined Arms Maneuver ability to destroy Russian tanks using artillery, armored vehicles rockets and anti-armor weapons. 

A former senior US Military official familiar with Ukrainian progress told Warrior that Russia is losing as many as 5-to-10 tanks a day. The official credited Ukrainian tactics, the arrival of weapons and a methodical, tactically proficient counterattack strategy. 

While such an ongoing phenomenon may not be surprising to those closely following daily events in Ukraine, it does add key context and shed new light upon continued questions about the pace of Ukraine’s counteroffensive. Some continue to wonder publicaly if Ukraine’s slow progress with its counteroffensive is indicative of problems ahead or the eventual failure or “stalling” of the counteroffensive.  Multiple Pentagon and expert assessments, however, have explained the slow pace in completely different terms, suggesting that ongoing analysis of Ukraine’s tactics and progress thus far tells a story of steady, measured progress in the direction of ultimate victory, provided international weapons support continues. 

Thousands of Tanks Destroyed

The continued destruction of Russian tanks, to include T-90s, T-80s and T-72s, simply compounds Russia’s well documented problem of losing hundreds if not thousands of tanks to Ukrainian attacks, Open source intelligence estimates by sites such as Oryx have documented the destruction of as many as 2,103 Russian tanks, and their experts caution that actual numbers are likely much higher as they only count what they are able to document. The Oryx site reports that 2,103 Russian tanks have been destroyed, damaged, abandoned, or captured. according to Oryx, which breaks down the 2,103 tanks as 1,323 destroyed, 120 damaged, 116 abandoned and 544 captured.

The former military official was also clear that Russian troops are attempting to hide among tall trees, knowing that Ukrainian ISR can quickly detect their movements on open terrain and offer key insights as to how best to optimize counterattacks.