Ukraine Captured Hundreds of Russian Tanks... "Unusable Due to Maintenance Issues"

Maintenance Limits Using Former Soviet Weapon Parts
Frequent Power Outages at Maintenance Factories Make Repairs Difficult

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, the Ukrainian military, which had been using hundreds of tanks captured from the Russian army that were abandoned due to fuel shortages, is now finding it difficult to use these tanks due to a lack of spare parts, turning them into burdens, according to foreign media. The Ukrainian forces, which primarily use former Soviet-made weapons, can interchange some parts for certain weapons, but it is understood that the latest weapons lack compatible parts, making disposal difficult.

According to the Washington Post (WP) on the 27th (local time), the Ukrainian military captured hundreds of Russian tanks and combat vehicles after the war began and utilized them on major frontlines, but recently, due to maintenance failures caused by parts shortages, over 70% have become unusable. Most of these tanks were those abandoned by the Russian army at the frontlines early in the war due to fuel shortages and subsequently acquired and used by the Ukrainian forces.

WP reported that since the outbreak of the war, the Ukrainian military has effectively utilized equipment abandoned by the Russian army in various ways. WP also noted that within the Ukrainian military, there was even a joke comparing this to the World War II-era U.S. "Lend-Lease" program, which supplied military equipment to allies such as the UK and the Soviet Union.

However, WP reported that many tanks and vehicles are now left in warehouses because spare parts needed for repairs cannot be found. For example, the 25th Airborne Brigade, which first advanced into Izium in Kharkiv Oblast after the Russian army hastily withdrew in September, secured a huge amount of tanks and armored vehicles left behind by the Russians, but few were immediately operational.

Vadim Ustimenko, a tank crew member of this brigade, told WP in an interview, "There were many tanks, but only a few were operational," adding, "About 30% could be used after some repairs, and 50% were junk requiring extensive work." Currently operating one of the latest tanks, the T-80, Ustimenko said that the tank needed repairs so frequently that he had to switch tanks 6 to 7 times over the past seven months.

In the case of older Russian tanks and vehicles, the Ukrainian military can find similar parts from the Soviet-made tanks and vehicles they have been operating, but for the latest Russian equipment like the BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicle, even cannibalizing parts is difficult.

WP also pointed out that equipment provided by the U.S. and other Western countries is not easy to repair. When Western equipment breaks down, it is sometimes sent to NATO facilities in Poland, resulting in downtime of several weeks at most.

Daria Kaleniuk, Secretary-General of the Anti-Corruption Action Center in Ukraine, said, "Most of the weapons sent by the U.S. are not new equipment but stockpiled items," adding, "Having to send broken equipment all the way to Poland for repairs is very frustrating for the Ukrainian military."

Another reason for insufficient maintenance is that the Russian army’s concentrated attacks on Ukraine’s power facilities frequently cut off the electricity needed to operate repair shops.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.