MOSCOW: Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu announced on Friday that the country was intensifying the production of tanks and heavy flamethrower systems, while acknowledging the need for further efforts to enhance the manufacturing of tank protection equipment.
During his visit to a tank factory in the Siberian city of Omsk, Shoigu praised workers for exceeding production targets and resolving most of the issues identified during his previous visit. He emphasized the importance of building new tanks, citing heavy equipment losses incurred during the initial years of the conflict in Ukraine.
The International Institute for Strategic Studies reported in February that Russia had lost over 3,000 tanks in Ukraine, prompting the need to replenish its inventory by extracting old ones from storage.
Shoigu directed factory leaders to prioritize the production of tank protection equipment and emphasized the importance of bolstering supplies to tank repair units. He stressed the necessity of enhancing the armament of combat vehicles with additional kits.
Meanwhile, Russian forces continued their assault on the strategically significant Ukrainian town of Chasiv Yar, with Kyiv alleging Moscow’s intention to seize the town by May 9, coinciding with Russia’s commemoration of Victory Day in World War Two.
At the Omsk factory, personnel informed Shoigu of a significant increase in the production of “Solntsepek” heavy flamethrower systems and the readiness of a new model of the T-80BVM main battle tank for deployment to the frontlines. The factory management highlighted their efforts to expand production capacity by hiring additional staff and implementing round-the-clock shifts.
Shoigu also underscored the importance of manufacturing anti-drone systems, citing frequent drone strikes on Russian energy infrastructure by Kyiv, which have impacted oil refineries and contributed to global oil price fluctuations.
