Satellite Images Reveal Russia Emptying Soviet-Era Tank Depots Amid Heavy Losses

Russia’s heavy losses of armored vehicles on the battlefield forced Moscow to pull aging Soviet-era tanks out of storage, with satellite images revealing almost empty stockpile bases in Siberia, according to the UK Ministry of Defence report on December 17.

“Russia has lost over 3,600 main battle tanks and nearly 8,000 armored vehicles,” the report stated.

Russia relies on outdated and poorly maintained Soviet-era equipment stored at strategic reserves. British intelligence indicates that armored vehicles are being removed from storage facilities, upgraded where possible, and sent directly to the front lines.

“Satellite imagery confirms a significant reduction in the quantity of stored armored vehicles at tank storage bases in Arsenyev, Buy, and Ulan-Ude since 2022,” the UK Ministry of Defence wrote.

With Russia intensifying its offensives since October of last year, aimed to seize several towns in the Donetsk region, their armor losses mounted significantly. Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense estimated that as of November 5, Russian forces lost approximately 102 tank battalions in 10 months of fighting, assuming that each battalion consists of 31 tanks.

Earlier, British intelligence revealed that infantry-led assaults caused unprecedented casualties among Russian soldiers. November 2024 was reportedly the deadliest month of the war for Russia, with daily losses reaching 1,523 personnel.