On October 8, Russia’s newest T-14 Armata tank was spotted in Lugansk, a source claims. According to the source, the tank was located near the village of Midginskaya. To his report, the source attached a photo of the T-14. There is no way to prove that the photo is from Luhansk, and not from some Russian training ground.
In fact, we shouldn’t be surprised by the possibility that Russia sent T-14s to Ukraine. In recent years, Russia has often sent new weapons technology to be tested in real combat conditions. Until a few months ago, it was Syria, but since the start of the war in Ukraine, Moscow has diverted weapons for testing there.
Russia is ready to escalate the military situation in Ukraine. The deployment of the tank may be part of Moscow’s efforts to do just that. Such a claim is confirmed by the latest deliveries of T-90s to the Western Military District over the past four weeks. The mobilization, which was announced on September 21, is the third indicator of Russia’s efforts to escalate the military situation.
The T-14 in Ukraine can be used as a command tank for the other Russian tanks. In fact, this is one of the functional characteristics of the tank. At the moment, the source claims that the T-14 is alone on the battlefield and there are no other units of the same model sent there.
Last year, Moscow announced the serial production of the tank. However, there is no information on how many tanks have been built to date. Some claim 10 units, others less [eight]. BulgarianMilitary.com recalls that the T-14 is exposed to the same danger as the T-90, i.e. to being captured by the Ukrainian armed forces.
Russia claims that the T-14 can withstand an attack by the American Javelin anti-tank missile. This is thanks to 900mm armor, Malachit reactive armor, and an Afghanit active protection system. The crew of the T-14 is also protected, Moscow claims because it is located in a separate structure of the capsule tank.
One of the main differences between the T-14 and other Russian tanks is the ability to move on a given move. The T-14 can move forward and backward at 70-80 km/h, Russia claims. One of the reasons why some Russian tanks are so often captured in Ukraine is precisely the inability of the crew to move the combat vehicle beyond the already observed position. Sometimes, this is a fallback move when other options are lacking.
Last but not least, the T-14 relies on another type of high-explosive fragmentation projectile – the Telnik. These are completely new ammunition developed in recent years in Russia and are believed to be superior to the previous Vacuum-1.
We hope that the information that the T-14 is indeed in Ukraine will be confirmed soon. Even if it is a single unit. In this way, we will observe his performance and fighting abilities. Because the Russians claim it’s the best tank in the world, and it’s in a league of its own. But until recently they claimed the same for the T-90 and T-90M, and Russia has already lost two tanks – one destroyed and one captured.
