Summary: In February, during a visit to the Uralvagonzavod, Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed the T-90 Proryv main battle tank as the world's best, emphasizing the need for advanced military vehicles. Despite his praise, Russia has lost over 100 T-90s in Ukraine, highlighting vulnerabilities inherited from Soviet designs, including issues with its autoloader. The T-90M variant, an upgrade with improved armor and armament, has nonetheless succumbed to anti-tank weapons and Western infantry fighting vehicles. The article points out that technological advancements cannot compensate for the lack of experienced crew, underlining the broader lesson that no tank is invincible against determined and well-equipped adversaries.

Russia's T-90M Tank Is In Trouble 

In February, Russian President Vladimir Putin poured praise on Russia’s T-90 Proryv main battle tank during a trip to Uralvagonzavod producer. Putin used the occasion to call for more advanced fighting vehicles.

"The T-90 is the best tank in the world without any exaggeration. Our tankmen and the adversary recognize it as the best in the world," Putin said, while acknowledging that any military hardware can get outdated with time. "We have to think about new generations of hardware. The designers know what to make and are working already."

Putin's adulation for the T-90 comes even as Russia has lost significant numbers of these tanks in the war in Ukraine. According to recent data from open-source military intelligence group Oryx, Russia has lost at least 117 T-90s since the start of its invasion. These losses are visually confirmed and include thirty-seven T-90As (of which 24 were destroyed, one damaged, two abandoned, and 10 captured); one captured T-90AK; six T-90Ss (five destroyed, one abandoned); and seventy-three T-90Ms (37 destroyed, 13 damaged, 20 abandoned, and 3 captured).

Better Doesn't Always Mean Good

While it is the most advanced tank of the T-90 series, this upgraded variant is noted for inheriting many of the technical deficiencies typical of Soviet-era tank designs, including those found in the T-72/80/90 family – notably the autoloader in the turret.

As previously reported by Harrison Kass for The National Interest, one area where the T-90M is improved over the original is its armor. Whereas the T-90 relied on Kontakt-5 armor, the M-variant is encased within Relikt built-in Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA). ERA is capable of protecting against tandem warheads and reduces the chance of penetration from Armor-Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding Sabot rounds. Additional protective features include rubber side skirts, cage armor, and spall lining. To further protect the crew, the T-90M uses an NBC system, with tank interior sealing and overpressure generation to protect against weapons of mass destruction.

The Proryv variant is armed with a 125mm 2A46M-4 smoothbore gun that can fire standard ammunition as well as anti-tank guided missiles. Secondary armament includes a remotely operated weapon station armed with an NSVT 12.7mm heavy machine gun and a 7.62mm PTKM coaxial machine gun. The configuration of the T-90M is similar to previous models, with a driver compartment at the front, a turret at the center of the hull, and a power plant located at the rear. It is propelled by a 12-cylinder engine that allows it to reach speeds of 60 kilometers per hour on roads and 50 kph off-road.

Despite improvements, the T-90 is nowhere near as good as Putin’s praise may suggest. T-90Ms have fallen victim to man-portable anti-tank weapons, while a pair of Ukrainian M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles were able to overwhelm the MBT. 

One issue is that even as Russia has shown it can replace its tanks, it cannot easily replace their trained and experienced crews. The best tank in the world stands little chance with a green commander, an inexperienced gunner, or a driver with little time behind the controls.

Finally, the losses of Western-made MBTs – including German Leopard 2s, British Challenger 2s, and U.S. M1 Abrams – serve as a reminder that tanks are not invincible. They are machines that can be destroyed with the right weapons, some daring, and just the right amount of luck.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu 

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu.

You can email the author: [email protected].