Combat footage recently published on social media shows a russian T-54 tank equipped with Kontakt-1 explosive reactive armor (ERA) slates and dispatched as an assault unit during the offensive on Novomykhailivka village in the eastern part of Ukraine. The events took place in February 2024, the tank was destroyed by Ukrainian forces.
This is the first recorded episode of russians applying Kontakt-1 to the T-54/55 series of main battle tanks. This also aligns with the recent tendency of russian invasion army to deploy these old tanks for frontal assaults and support of assault actions rather than previously observed tactic of using them as quasi-artillery raining relatively short-range strikes with indirect fire.
Read more: The russians Additionally Armor Their ‘Most Modern’ T-90M Proryv Tanks in an Artisanal Way Fearing Ukrainian ATGM, Drones (Video)
Notably, so far only six T-54/55 tanks were counted as destroyed, according to observations by Oryx OSINT community, comparatively low casualties compared to other types of russian tanks (788 T-72s of all variants and even 115 of russia's most advanced T-90 tanks). T-54 and T-55 models started appearing in the russian forces later than other tanks, in April 2023. Being hidden from direct confrontations and tank duels, they needed additional protection much less than in an assault, which could explain why the russians only started to enhance them with ERA.
There is currently no reliable data on how many of archaic T-54/55 tanks were taken out of storage facilities across the russian federation. The only figure at hand is the generalized estimate of 1,180 to 1,800 tanks of all types received by the russian armed forces in 2023, data provided by the IISS, a British think tank.
Besides, the russian sources were sharing news about T-54s entering service with the 1430th Motor Rifle Regiment, composed of mobilized personnel. These tanks were deployed in the role of the mentioned quasi-artillery "assault guns."
Apparently, the russian forces began fixing reactive armor onto these tanks just recently. Earlier in February 2024, Ukrainians filmed one of russian T-55s engaging in an assault with nothing but a slat armor cage on top of its turret.
Previously, Defense Express analyzed photos of a T-90M with Kontakt ERA tiles, applied right on top of the basic Relikt ERA kit and the useless rope net hanging from the turret and, of course, the ever-present slat armor "grills."
Read more: russia's Tank Stocks Are Running Out: More and More Outdated Equipment Is Being Used by Invaders Against Ukraine
