Russian Forces Scale Back Use of Armor Amidst Heavy Losses
In a strategic shift Likely driven by significant equipment losses and dwindling Soviet-era stockpiles, Russian forces have reduced their usage of armored vehicles during assaults on active frontline sectors in recent weeks. This worrying trend was highlighted in the Institute for the Study of War’s (ISW) report from January 4.
Quoting a Ukrainian brigade representative, the ISW noted that Russian forces have significantly scaled back the use of armored vehicles and mechanized assaults on the Kuрахово (Kurakhove) axis since October and November 2024. The Ukrainian official revealed on January 3 that Russian troops were now predominantly employing infantry for attacks in the region, using armored vehicles primarily for fire support.
Moreover, in a sign of adapting to persistent equipment losses, Russian forces may be turning to unconventional means of transport, such as electric scooters, motorcycles, and all-terrain vehicles, according to a Ukrainian under colonel cited by The New York Times on December 31.
Analysts suggest that Russian attacks near mid-sized towns, like Kuрахово (Kurakhove) and Покровск (Pokuivka), could be less suited for armored vehicle use compared to smaller towns and open fields, where Russian forces made significant gains throughout 2024.
In a worrying sign of Moscow’s determination to push its advantage, Russian forces might further decrease armored vehicle usage, despite the potential slowdown in their advance on key fronts, as the command seeks to re-equip frontend units while minimizing rotation of units for rest and recovery, ISW analysts warned.
In 2024, Ukrainian forces claimed to have destroyed or damaged over 3,000 Russian tanks and nearly 9,000 armored vehicles, with no signs of these losses abating in the near future. The Russian military’s increasing desperation was evident in its launch of a drone strike on Ukraine‘s Ust-Luga gas terminal in the Leningrad region on January 4.
On the battlefield, Ukrainian forces successfully regained lost positions near Кременная (Kreminna) and maintained control around Курахово (Kurakhove), while Russian forces made incremental gains in areas like Кременная, Торецк (Toretsk), and Покровск (Pokuivka). Meanwhile, the Russian government continues to boost financial incentives to encourage militia recruitment.
