

That count only includes losses individually documented by the Oryx blog-meaning that the actual count is surely higher, considering the losses that didn’t get photographed. This resulted in rapid, catastrophic losses-and contributed to Russia hitting the milestone of 2,001 main battle tanks visually confirmed destroyed, captured, or abandoned by May 30, 2023.

But in a classic tactical error, Russian armor lacked enough escorting infantry to detect and flush out ambushes in built-up areas.

When Russia launched its large-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, it aggressively pushed its main battle tanks and lighter, but heavily-armed, BMP and BMD fighting vehicles forward on the offense.
