Vladimir Putin resorts to 70 year old tanks to send to Ukraine as shortages surge

Vladimir Putin resorts to 70 year old tanks to send to Ukraine as shortages surge

Vladimir Putin has resorted to sending tanks designed in the 1950s to Ukraine to support Russian units as shortages of armored vehicles grow more acute.

As the conflict approaches its third year in February, the Russian military is filling the gap by deploying the BTR-50, a Soviet-era vehicle introduced in 1954 during the Cold War.

The use of these outdated tanks has sparked commentary on social media.

“While the internet is flooded with AI-generated images of non-existent futuristic Russian tanks, museum pieces like these two BTR-50s, first deployed in 1954, are increasingly spotted on the front lines,” noted Bluesky user Kherson Special Cat.

Despite their age, the BTR-50s sent to Ukraine have undergone slight modernization, including upgraded armor and weaponry.