Key points
- Russia is rebuilding old Soviet armored vehicles due to significant losses at the front, using its armored repair plants for repairs and upgrades.
- Satellite images show a build-up of armoured vehicles at Russian bases, but problems with their restoration and production have forced the Russian army to use motorcycles and buggies.
Russia restores old armored vehicle stocks / Collage 24 Kanal (photo from X Jompy)
Russia wants to replenish its Soviet-era stockpiles in the future. Satellite images of Russian military depots and repair facilities show a buildup of their armored vehicles.
This was reported by 24 Kanal , citing a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Analysts studied the findings of OSINT analysts who showed equipment at Russian bases.
Russia is actively restoring old equipment to use in the war
Satellite images were taken over Russian armored vehicle repair plants (BTRZ), where the occupiers repair damaged armored vehicles and restore Soviet “mothballed” equipment. However, the old weapons are probably not in good enough condition to immediately begin performing tasks on the front.
Thus, the 81st BTRZ in Armavir , located in the Krasnodar region, according to analysts, can annually restore up to 200 old armored personnel carriers from 2023. This plant is one of those that repair and modernize BTR-70/80 from warehouses and, probably, repair damaged BTRs from the battlefield.
Another plant, the 144th BTRZ in Yekaterinburg , is the only one in Russia that has the ability to restore old airborne combat vehicles and repair BMP-2 and BMD-2. Every year, 100 to 150 BMD-2 BMD and BTR-D are restored there.
The Arzamas Machine-Building Plant in the Nizhny Novgorod Region can produce 500 BTR-82 armored personnel carriers per year. However, the plant has recently increased its weapons supply. Analysts suggest that Russia could either increase production volumes or start repairing damaged BTRs at the plant.
According to OSINT analysts, Russia is also engaged in the production and restoration of airborne combat vehicles at the Kurganmashzavod in the Kurgan region. There, specialists produce from 100 to 120 BMD-4M, approximately 360 BMP-3 and from 20 to 30 BTR-MDM per year.
Satellite images show Russian armored vehicles being stockpiled at BTRZ / Photo from X Jompy
The Institute for the Study of War says Russia has used stockpiles of Soviet-era armored vehicles since the start of the full-scale war to offset high losses at the front. But that resource is becoming less available over time.
Due to problems with the production and restoration of armored vehicles, as well as their significant losses in 2023 and 2024, the Russians on the front lines should use motorcycles and buggies more often. Interestingly, the British International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) calculated that in 2024 the Russian army lost more than 3,700 infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers.
