British analysts have expressed surprise that, nearly four years after russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, russian occupation forces have still not deployed some of their most "prestigious" weapon systems in combat.
First and foremost, this refers to the T-14 Armata main battle tank. This view was voiced by Major Maguire, who previously took part in the United Kingdom's training program for Ukrainian troops and was also involved in compiling reports based on lessons learned from the analysis of combat operations in Ukraine.
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His remarks were cited by Business Insider. It can be assumed that in the United Kingdom, the Armata tank is being considered from a practical standpoint. In essence, there is a sense of regret that russia did not commit these tanks to combat, as Ukraine's Defense Forces would likely have captured at least one as a trophy. This, in turn, would have given Western specialists the opportunity to gain full access to the vehicle for detailed analysis.
Overall, however, it seems somewhat strange that this topic continues to be raised today. Nearly two years ago, in March 2024, russia's state-owned Rostec corporation officially admitted that the Armata tank was not intended for wartime use and would remain a parade vehicle. This was stated by Rostec CEO Sergey Chemezov, who acknowledged that while the T-14 "significantly surpasses existing tanks in terms of functionality," it is simply too expensive, and that it would be more rational to purchase a larger number of other vehicles with the same funds.
Previously, media outlets, including Western publications, repeatedly reported that russia may have refrained from deploying the Armata to the front due to concerns over reputational risks. The fear was that a vehicle into which so much time and money had been invested might fail to meet expectations under real combat conditions.
As of today, Western estimates place the cost of a single T-14 Armata tank at between USD 5 and 9 million. This figure may even be understated, given that prices for Western main battle tanks often reach several tens of millions of dollars.
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