Russian defense plants Uralvagonzavod have begun mass modernization of T-72A tanks, which date back to the 1970s. This decision, confirmed by analysts based on satellite imagery, indicates a critical depletion of reserves of more modern machines like the T-72B. According to experts, sending outdated armored units to the front is a desperate attempt to replenish losses incurred during the invasion of Ukraine, shedding new light on the current state of Russia's defense industry and its stockpile resources.

Revival of T-72A Tanks

Russian plants Uralvagonzavod have begun the process of refurbishing machines from the 1970s, as confirmed by the latest analysis of satellite imagery.

Exhaustion of Newer Reserves

Resorting to older models is a direct result of the lack of availability of T-72B versions, which have been destroyed or depleted during military operations.

Location in Nizhny Tagil

Transports of hundreds of tanks are arriving at the factory in the Sverdlovsk region, where they undergo thorough overhaul and attempts to modernize combat systems.

The Russian defense industry, facing progressive degradation of its armored potential, has decided on a controversial step involving returning to service and modernizing T-72A tanks. These are designs whose origins trace back to the mid-1970s. According to analysis of satellite imagery and reports from the Ukrainian portal Militarnyi, hundreds of these machines have been transported to the Uralvagonzavod plants in Nizhny Tagil. This operation is being carried out in response to alarming levels of wartime losses and the exhaustion of previously deep reserves of newer variants, such as the T-72B, which formed the backbone of Russian armored forces in the initial phase of the conflict. This phenomenon was first signaled by experts from Defence Express as early as September 2025, but only now has the scale of the operation become fully visible. Military analyst Andriy Tarasenko published evidence indicating an intensification of work in the Sverdlovsk region. Resorting to equipment that has been decaying in open storage for decades suggests that Russia's production capacity for new machines cannot keep pace with their destruction rate at the front. Furthermore, these vehicles require almost complete rebuilding, as they have been stored without adequate protection from the elements for nearly fifty years. The T-72 tank, introduced into the Soviet army in 1973, became one of the most mass-produced combat vehicles in the world, symbolizing the land power of the Warsaw Pact during the Cold War. Sending modernized "scrap" to the front primarily aims to maintain quantitative superiority, but it raises questions about the real combat value of such units in clashes with modern anti-tank weaponry. Uralvagonzavod is trying to equip these archaic hulls with newer optics and reactive armor to mitigate their technological obsolescence. Nevertheless, for many observers, this is a sign of the desperation of the Kremlin, which is forced to patch holes in armored unit structures with equipment reminiscent of the Leonid Brezhnev era. This situation challenges the narrative of Russia's unlimited resources and indicates that the pace of demilitarization of Russian land reserves has reached a critical point. „This is a clear signal that T-72B stocks have been exhausted, and Russia must resort to much older variants to maintain numbers on the front.” — Andriy Tarasenko T-72 Generation Comparison: : → ; : → ; : →

Mentioned People

  • Andrij Tarasenko — Ukrainian military analyst, who was one of the first to publish evidence of the modernization of older tank types.