Too Many Losses to Hide: Russia Sells Destroyed Tanks as Scrap Metal

Russia’s Ministry of Defense has begun auctioning off dozens of destroyed tanks and armored vehicles as scrap metal, according to The Moscow Times on May 29.

The equipment, damaged during its war in Ukraine, has been listed on the state procurement platform “GIS Torgi” and stored in the Rostov region, near the Ukrainian border.

The auction includes T-80, T-72B3, and T-62 tanks, along with infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers, and MT-LB multipurpose armored tractors.

Officially, the listings describe the lots as “ferrous and nonferrous scrap metal,” yet photos clearly show destroyed combat vehicles with visible battle damage.

Three lots have been offered, priced between approximately $38,800 and $53,300 each. According to the documents, the vehicles are located in the village of Petrovka, Myasnikovsky district, Rostov region. Buyers must have a scrap-processing license and remove the items at their own expense.

The publication The Moscow Times noted that the sale marks one of the first times the Russian military has publicly auctioned wrecked combat vehicles from the war in Ukraine.

Photos attached to the listings show hulls and tracked components in what the documentation describes as “satisfactory condition.” Observers on Russian social media commented that the vehicles appear in no worse condition than many seen at Russia’s storage bases.

Earlier, UNITED24 Media reported that Ukraine has destroyed nearly 10,000 Russian tanks during the full-scale war—largely thanks to its rapidly built drone industry. What began with off-the-shelf quadcopters has evolved into a nationwide effort producing millions of drones annually, including FPV units capable of neutralizing tanks worth millions for just a few hundred dollars.

Truth is Under Attack

Help our reporters investigate lies, verify facts, and deliver truth from Ukraine’s frontlines.

DEFEND THE TRUTH