For Russia, the invasion of Ukraine has been a messy ordeal,
as their brazen blitzkrieg tactics designed to conquer Kyiv in less than
three days miserably failed, resulting in meager gains and colossal losses.
Once hailed as the world’s second-most-powerful armed force, the Russian military’s facade of
power has been shattered, revealing a depleted and crumbling army.
Despite Russia boasting of having tens of thousands of armored combat
vehicles, most of them were deemed inoperable by Western intelligence.
In March of 2023, the International Institute for
Strategic Studies reported a staggering revelation: Russia has likely lost over
2,000 operational tanks, leaving less than half of its armored force intact.
Exposed to the world, the frantic Russian forces have resorted to desperate measures.
Recent footage has revealed that Russia is mounting derelict naval
guns transformed into ancient war tractors in an attempt to create improvised tanks.
The makeshift vehicles have laid bare the nation’s decaying state for the entire world to see...
Frankenstein Tanks
Vladimir Putin’s military tactics have hit rock bottom as he desperately resorts
to building so-called “Frankenstein tanks” using
outdated naval guns welded on top of ancient Cold War-era tractors.
Russia’s failed campaign in Ukraine has left its military weakened and vulnerable, losing over
2,000 tanks and running low on essential armory stockpiles. In a desperate move, Putin’s forces
have resorted to improvising with whatever machinery parts they can get their hands on.
Shocking footage from an undisclosed location has revealed a bizarre contraption - a 25-millimeter
2M-3 twin-barrelled naval anti-aircraft turret fitted onto a Soviet-era MT-LB
amphibious fighting vehicle. The guns are believed to have been taken from
a naval patrol boat, while the tracks date back to the 1950s.
These modified tanks clearly indicate the dire state of Russia’s military and its inability to
replenish its armory. Ukrainian forces have been using drones to destroy Russian tanks,
leaving Putin with no choice but to improvise.
According to intelligence and geopolitical risk analyst Justin Crump, the naval turrets
were likely used because the sea fleet had a surplus. Former British tank commander
Hamish de Bretton-Gordon has observed similar adaptations by ISIS fighters in the Middle East
and claims that the Russian army’s improvisation is comparable to that of terrorist organizations.
Putin has suffered significant losses in the battle of Vuhledar,
with Russia losing up to 300 soldiers daily and leaving over 100 military vehicles in ruins.
The British Ministry of Defence has confirmed that Russia has taken more
than 800 old tanks out of deep storage in response to its heavy armor losses.
To add to their plight, the Russians have resorted
to creating “Mad Max”-style vehicles with improvised armor,
while ships in their sea fleet have been fitted with bizarre air defense modifications.
They are desperate moves for a once-feared military power
now reduced to cobbling together whatever bits and pieces it can find to stay afloat.
70-Year-Old Tractors
The makeshift tanks built by Russia are constructed upon an ancient platform,
the MT-LB Soviet multi-purpose, fully amphibious, tracked armored fighting vehicle.
Even during its inception in the 1950s, the tractor was a compromise that placed
affordability and material availability over performance and technology.
Its engine, for instance, was initially developed for trucks, and the initial iteration of the
vehicle, designated as the MT-L, was widely used as a tractor, prime mover, personnel carrier,
ambulance, and combat support vehicle for most of the conflict where Russia was involved.
Ironically, the tractor was produced by the Kharkiv Tractor Plant,
a manufacturer based in the region that is now Ukraine.
Almost 20 years later, during the 1970s, the MT-L was revised and improved into a
more robust version equipped with armor; this vehicle was designated
the MT-LB and was specially adapted for combat operation and military use.
Compared to many other military personnel transport vehicles and Infantry Fighting Vehicles,
the MT-LB is relatively light, weighing 11.9 tons. It is powered by a YaMZ-238
diesel engine with 240 horsepower, giving it a top speed of 62 kilometers per hour
on roads. The vehicle can accommodate a crew of two and up to 11 passengers.
The MT-LB is lightly armored, with protection ranging from 10 to 14-millimeter thick,
which can protect the passengers from small-arms fire, but leaves
the vehicle vulnerable to heavy weapons fire.
Even so, its mobility, versatility, and affordability make it a valuable asset on
the battlefield. The vehicle is equipped with various machine guns and guided
anti-tank missiles, which can be mounted on its turret or on pintle mounts on the roof.
The armament options include a 7.62-millimeter PKT machine gun,
a 12.7-millimeter DShK machine gun, and the 9K111 Fagot ATGM system, among others.
In the 1970s, the MT-LB was a reliable and adaptable vehicle that could be used in a
wide range of military operations. Today, its technology is primarily obsolete, with
most modern platforms far surpassing its speed, armor, armament, and amphibious capabilities.
Nevertheless, with few options on the table,
the Russian military is using the MT-LB as the basis for its improvised tanks.
Repurposed Gun
To match its old hull, the recent Russian makeshift tanks are fitted
with a naval anti-aircraft gun developed after World War 2:
the 2M-3 mounting system equipped with two 110-PM guns. The model was based on
an even older weapon first built in 1943, going all the way back to World War 2.
At its prime, the 110-PM gun was a capable and robust solution that could fire up to 480 rounds
per minute thanks to its gas-operated mechanism. And while it was technically air-cooled,
it often had to be hosed down with water during reloading to keep it from overheating.
But the 110-PM wasn’t just limited to battleships. Submarines could also
be equipped with it by using the clip-fed 2M-8 wet mount. However,
this configuration was eventually phased out due to changes in submarine warfare tactics.
Some experimental configurations of the 110-PM never made it into service, like the BL-130 mount.
And while the 110-PM was manufactured in the PRC under the name Type 61,
it never had the same impact as its predecessors.
The 2M-3 gun was a popular choice for equipping small watercraft like the Komar guided missile
craft and the P-4 and P-6 motor torpedo boats. And while the 2M-8 submarine mount was briefly
used on several Soviet submarines like the Quebec, Whale, Whiskey,
and Zulu classes, it was eventually replaced by the larger and more powerful AK-230 turret.
Nevertheless, the 2M-3 continues to serve in the Chinese navy on ships like the Hainan,
Hoku, Huangfen, Lada, and Shanghai classes and mine warfare and auxiliary vessels.
While newer ship classes have moved on to the AK-230, the 2M-3 has proved to be
a reliable and effective weapon for various naval applications.
In recent years, the weapon system has been used in Russian river war boats,
and it is estimated that the Russian military has a considerable surplus
of these naval weapons. As such, it has used them in its recent attempts
to create makeshift armored combat vehicles for the war in Ukraine.
The footage showing how Russia is relying on these tactics reveals
the extent of the dire situation they find themselves in Ukraine. It’s a humiliating
position for a once-feared military power that is now forced to assemble
unreliable and derelict vehicles to keep up with its mounting losses.
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