Russia's Desperate Military Tactics: Refurbishing Old Armor for Troop Transport

Repurposing MT-LB Vehicles

• 🇷🇺 Russia is resorting to unusual tactics, such as removing missile launchers from old MT-LB vehicles to convert them into basic troop carriers.
• 💡 This repurposing is occurring at the Muromteplovoz factory in the Vladimir region, as confirmed by open-source intelligence analysts.
• 🛠️ The MT-LB, a Soviet-era multi-purpose armored vehicle from the 1970s, is being refurbished to address mounting equipment losses.

Equipment Crisis and Losses

• 📉 Moscow faces a deepening equipment crisis, with over 4,190 tanks and 8,450 armored vehicles destroyed, highlighting significant losses.
• 🧊 The Kremlin is digging out decades-old Soviet-era armor and refurbishing it due to a shortage of modern vehicles.
• ⚠️ This reliance on outdated equipment, including T-72 and T-62 tanks, signifies desperation rather than innovation.

Shift in Military Priorities

• 🎯 Russian commanders are shifting priorities from offensive firepower, like anti-tank missile systems, to troop survivability and transport.
• 🚶‍♂️ This change is driven by the need to get troops to front lines, like the contested Pokrovsk sector, amidst effective Ukrainian drone warfare.
• 🛡️ The converted MT-LBs aim to provide a safer means of transport for soldiers compared to traveling on foot or in civilian vehicles.

Economic Strain and Future Plans

• 💸 Western sanctions have strained the Russian economy, leading to high inflation, labor shortages, and rising costs, making new vehicle production difficult.
• ⚙️ Russia is retrofitting older hardware like MT-LBs as a cheaper alternative to manufacturing new, modern infantry fighting vehicles.
• 🚀 Long-term plans include developing and producing the MT-LB's successor, the MGT-LB, with the Muromteplovoz factory being expanded for this purpose.

Limitations and Outlook

• 📉 Despite conversions, the MT-LB has a history of being vulnerable, with Ukraine having destroyed a significant number of them.
• ⏳ Refurbished MT-LBs are seen as cheap, simple stopgaps until Russia can mass-produce more modern infantry vehicles.
• 📉 The refurbishment of 800+ T-72 tanks by 2036 also indicates a reliance on older equipment due to anticipated resource constraints.