It's been low for months now. The reduction happens to correlate with no more armored vehicles disappearing from the old Soviet stockpiles. I.e. all that's left is useless scrap.

For the past few years there were regular articles about the stockpiles running out, but I guess that was either about specific locations or vehicle models. I haven't seen any such news articles for quite a while, I think it's because there's nothing new to report. Russia appears to be limited to what they have in active service and to new production.

They're pretty screwed, new production can't keep up with the demands of the frontline. And it won't become easier with Ukraine destroying Russia's finances/oil infrastructure and military complex one drone/cruise missile at a time.

[–] bluGill@fedia.io 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

No, they have more than 1000 tanks in use. However they realized a year ago that they can't get more and so every tank lost is gone for the remainder of the war. They have been forced to make hard decisions to not use them if the risk is high. This limits their usefulness but ensures they have them.

Many of the tanks left are not in Ukraine. They have a long border that needs tanks near just in case someone is stupid enough to attack them

[–] lurch@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 days ago (2 children)

you mean, intelligent enough to snag a piece of an already weakened country and also become a hero for the west while doing so, right? because that's how it looks to me.

if, for example, China swooped in and took 25% of russia, that could end the war and get them on the victory parade real quick. it would be almost like Germany 1945.

[–] pluggerslugs@piefed.social 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Probably not China, but once all the fuel supplies are depleted and the tanks can't move, I could see Mongolia sweeping in on horseback to reclaim their historic lands.

[–] M0oP0o@mander.xyz 1 points 1 day ago

At this point Mongolia could likely take a chunk of russia without them being able to stop them. It would be funny to see the return of the golden horde.

[–] bluGill@fedia.io 1 points 2 days ago

China has other motives and probably wouldn't risk such a thing even though you are probably right. I'm thinking more like Azerbaijan which I know only they have a border with Russia. I suspect the government like most I know little about is some form of dictatorship and so might be insane. But again my knowledge of the country is near zero and so don't read the above as an accusation only a possibility

[–] MrMakabar@slrpnk.net 3 points 2 days ago

You need fuel to drive a tank to the front line and that is a bit of a problem due to some smoking issues in Russia.