Russia continues to develop programs to renew and modernize older and less effective tanks intended for use on the battlefield in Ukraine, News.bg reports.
The Kremlin is actively spreading stories about alleged Western provocations, seeking to create an image of internal and external enemies that threaten the Russian state. This is the summary of the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
According to a social media source that tracks Russian military bases through satellite imagery, on November 6, it was estimated that the 103rd Armored Vehicle Repair Plant (BTRZ) near Chita, Zabaykalsky Krai, could maintain an annual modernization rate of between 300 and 500 T-62 tanks until the end of 2025, after the plant reached a peak in activity this year. This represents the main T-62 repair and modernization plant in Russia.
The source added that before the war, Russia had 1,822 T-62 tanks in storage, with 1,000 of them withdrawn for repair or modernization in 2025, leaving few or no tanks in “decent” condition in storage. As of early October 2025, the source reported about 885 T-62s in reserve, while Russia is also ramping up repair programs for its T-72 tanks.
Russian military personnel are taking advantage of the deteriorating weather conditions to resume limited mechanized attacks in Ukraine, which is consistent with ISW's observations of combat patterns on the front. However, Russian tanks are mainly used for infantry transport or as localized firepower, which does not require the most modern or fully refurbished vehicles.
ISW estimates that repairs to older tanks are likely aimed at short-term use at the front, while long-term efforts to increase T-90 production are not intended for immediate participation in the conflict.
The Russian command is strengthening its presence around Pokrovsk, probably to consolidate the successes achieved and continue its offensive. In addition, the air blockade of the Ukrainian railway infrastructure is being intensified, with the aim of disrupting logistics centers and facilitating the advance of the front.
On the evening of November 5, authorities in Germany reported the intrusion of an unknown drone near Hanover airport.
Meanwhile, President Vladimir Putin has emphasized the multiethnic and multireligious nature of Russia, rejecting attempts by ultranationalists to portray it as an exclusively Orthodox Christian and ethnically Russian state.