Russia’s elite T-90M tanks are no longer at risk: cheap drones have forced Russians to hide the most expensive and “best tanks.” It costs like a plane, burns like a match: $4 million T-90M give way to $200 drones on the territory of hostilities in Ukraine. Why were the “best tanks” helpless in front of 200-dollar drones?
Russian elite T-90M “Breakthrough” tanks appear less and less on the front lines of the war in Ukraine, which indicates a radical change in Russian armored doctrine for 2026. Although the ruler Vladimir Putin continues to call the T-90M “the best tank in the world,” in practice, losses due to modern drones, anti-tank missiles and design flaws forced the Kremlin to transfer them to reserve formations, writes 19FortyFive, informs the portal PromPolitInform.
Production is growing, but combat use is falling
The Uralvagonzavod plant produces T-90M at a record pace – from 60-70 tanks in 2022 to more than 250 units in 2025. However, there are fewer and fewer of them on the battlefield: some of the vehicles are kept in reserve to avoid quick losses. According to trackers, at the beginning of 2026, more than 150 T-90M had already been lost.
Deadly design flaws
T-90M tanks are equipped with an automatic loader, which is why ammunition is stored inside the tower. This creates the effect of “breaking in the box”: any hit, even indirect, can lead to the explosion of the tower and the death of the crew.
It is because of such design flaws that modern FPV drone strikes and Western anti-tank systems prove deadly for Russian armored vehicles.
In recent months, the Russians have reduced the use of the T-90M in assault operations and installed drone jamming systems on T-90M, T-80BVM and T-72B3 tanks. This allows you to store equipment for reserve formations and strategic strikes.
Comparison with western tanks
Unlike the Western Leopard 2A6 and M1A2 Abrams tanks, the T-90M has less armor protection, but compensates for this with maneuverability and electronic countermeasures. Its advantage is the efficiency and rapid scaling of production compared to expensive platforms like Armata.
The publication concluded that the T-90M is quickly gaining a reputation as an “endangered species” on the battlefield in Ukraine. Massive losses due to modern technology, insufficient crew experience and design limitations force the Kremlin to keep the latest tanks for reserve and strategic operations, instead of massive assaults on the front.
These machines are successfully destroyed by the Armed Forces of Ukraine and even captured in good condition. In order not to lose their reputation at all, the enemy reduced their use to avoid reputational losses.
Photo – occupier’s resource
