Russia may deploy Armata tanks in Ukraine for propaganda purposes – British intelligence

The British Defense Ministry said this its latest Defence Intelligence update, Ukrinform reports.

It is noted that in late December 2022, imagery showed T-14s on a training area in southern Russia: the site has been associated with pre-deployment activity for the Ukraine operation. This followed pro-government Russia media outlets claiming T-14s were being prepared for deployment. However, it is unclear whether Russia has yet moved the type into Ukraine.

“Any T-14 deployment is likely to be a high-risk decision for Russia. Eleven years in development, the programme has been dogged with delays, reduction in planned fleet size, and reports of manufacturing problems. An additional challenge for Russia is adjusting its logistics chain to handle T-14 because it is larger and heavier than other Russian tanks. If Russia deploys T-14, it will likely primarily be for propaganda purposes,” the British intelligence says.

It is also noted that production of these tanks is probably only in the low tens, while commanders are unlikely to trust the vehicle in combat.

As reported by Ukrinform, British intelligence previously stated that the dysfunction of Russia's long-range strike capability is more profound, as evidenced by the use of the Kh-22 anti-ship missile on the city of Dnipro.