Pt 55 News Today

That the 76th Guards Air Assault Division must attack with 1950s-vintage T-55s is a worrying sign for the Kremlin.

As Russia’s wider war on Ukraine grinds into its third year, regiments routinely are rolling T-55s, T-62s and first-gen T-72s and T-80s directly at Ukrainian brigades.

A T-55 isn’t just vulnerable to heavy anti-tank weaponry; it also is vulnerable to infantry weapons as well as to the smallest of Ukraine’s small drones.

Russias 810th Marine Brigade went to war in Ukraine with fairly modern T-80 tanks. But then the brigade got destroyed—twice—by the Ukrainians. Now it has old T-55 tanks.

An Achzarit actually is heavier than a T-55 is. The vehicle pays for its heavy protection with a low power-to-weight ratio and a reduction in mobility.

The 1430th Motorized Rifle Regiment proudly showed off the 1950s-vintage tanks in a video on its official Telegram channel on or just before Sunday.

British tanks are famous for their long-range firepower.

The T-62 isn’t moving, not even between shots. That’s what you’d expect if the tank were functioning as a sort of semi-mobile pillbox.

The tanks probably are destined to function as mobile, minimally-manned pillboxes—or, packed with explosives, as unmanned vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices.

If a commander determines the threat from Ukrainian missiles is low and thus doesn’t expect his tanks to move, a solitary loader-gunner-commander might be the only crew.