Ukraine’s New Offensive Is Fueled by Captured Russian Weapons

KUPYANSK, Ukraine—Captured and abandoned Russian tanks, howitzers and fighting vehicles—quickly scrubbed of their Z tactical markers and repainted with Ukrainian crosses—are being turned against their former owners as Ukraine’s military advances in the eastern part of the country.

Ukraine’s rapid breakthrough in the Kharkiv region a month ago ended up putting hundreds of pieces of Russian armor into Kyiv’s hands, military officials say, as the Russian army left behind its heavy weapons and warehouses of supplies in a disorganized retreat.

Tanks, vehicles and guns too damaged to salvage are being cannibalized for spare parts.

Crucially, Russia has also left behind large quantities of Soviet-standard artillery shells that had nearly run out in Ukraine.

This haul is helping power Ukrainian forces as they retake parts of the eastern Donetsk region, including the town of Lyman, and push further east into nearby Luhansk.

One Ukrainian battalion, the Carpathian Sich, seized 10 modern T-80 tanks and five 2S5 Giatsint 152-mm self-propelled howitzers after it entered the town of Izyum last month, said its deputy chief of staff, Ruslan Andriyko.

Supplied to Ukraine.

The BMP-2, an infantry fighting vehicle, is the most captured weapon by Ukraine.

167 units of the BMP-2(K), 2 of the BMP-2M and 1 of the BMP-2 675-sb3KDZ variants have been captured.

Supplied to Ukraine.

The BMP-2, an infantry fighting vehicle, is the most captured weapon by Ukraine

167 units of the BMP-2(K), 2 of the BMP-2M and 1 of the BMP-2 675-sb3KDZ variants have been captured

Supplied to Ukraine

The BMP-2, an infantry fighting vehicle, is the most captured weapon by Ukraine

167 units of the BMP-2(K), 2 of the BMP-2M and 1 of the BMP-2 675-sb3KDZ variants have been captured

Sources: Oryx (weapons supplied and captured); Army Recognition (BMP-2)

The chief of staff of a Ukrainian artillery battalion on the Kharkiv front said his unit now operates four recently captured Russian 2S19 Msta 152-mm self-propelled howitzers, alongside American-made guns, and now has abundant Soviet-caliber ammunition

Combined with weapons taken during Russia’s retreat from Kyiv and other parts of northern Ukraine in April, these recent gains have turned Moscow into by far the largest supplier of heavy weapons for Ukraine, well ahead of the U.S

Ukraine has captured 460 Russian main battle tanks, 92 self-propelled howitzers, 448 infantry fighting vehicles, 195 armored fighting vehicles and 44 multiple-launch rocket systems, according to visual evidence compiled from social media and news reports from Oryx, an open-source intelligence consulting firm

The real number is likely higher as not every captured piece of equipment gets filmed

“What they are capturing is a mix of modern equipment that they can use quite effectively, and some that really belongs in museums,” said Jakub Janovsky, who compiles the count of weapons losses at Oryx

Russia has also seized Ukrainian weapons, mostly in the early days of the war as it overran large parts of the country

According to Oryx’s count, Russia captured 109 Ukrainian tanks, 15 self-propelled guns and 63 infantry fighting vehicles since February

At Izyum, Ukraine gained more advanced Russian armor, such as T-90 tanks and BTR-82 infantry fighting vehicles with automatic cannon

The commander of Ukraine’s 92nd brigade, which played a major role on the Kharkiv front, was filmed this week taking a ride in a T-90, which wasn’t part of the Ukrainian arsenal before the war

Western allies haven’t sent Western-made tanks to Ukraine

American and European aid focused on providing Ukraine with North Atlantic Treaty Organization-standard precision artillery, such as the U.S.-made M777 and Paladin, German Panzerhaubitze 2000 and Polish Krab howitzers, as well as the Himars missile systems

These weapons allowed Kyiv to hold the line once it started to run out of Soviet-caliber artillery shells in May

Ukraine’s experience learning how to operate different weapons systems in a relatively short time has made it easier to repurpose the recently acquired Russian weapons, said Col

While Ukrainian units often keep smaller captured weapons and ammunition, big-ticket items such as tanks and artillery are usually redistributed through the military’s logistics command, said

Carpathian Sich, for example, transferred to other parts of the military captured howitzers and kept tanks for which it could find crews

The battalion commander said these tanks have now been formally allocated to the unit and are regularly supplied by the military’s logistics with ammunition and fuel, and serviced by visiting crews from Ukrainian tank plants

Ukraine was a major tank manufacturer and exporter before the war

“Gaining the trophies gives us a sense of pride and raises everyone’s combat spirits,” said the commander, who used a captured Russian assault rifle in a recent battle during which the battalion seized a village in the Donetsk region