Summary and Key Points: Russian studies of combat experience reached the correct conclusion: Russian tanks throw their turrets into the air because the ammunition is stored in the fighting compartment with the crew. So the T-90M was given a welded turret with a bustle magazine at the rear, behind blowout panels, exactly as American and Western tanks have done for decades.
The T-90M Can’t Catch a Break in the Ukraine War
T-90M tank. Image Credit: YouTube Screenshot.
The T-90M is currently the most advanced tank in Russian service (aside from the T-14).
The tank features better protection and improved situational awareness. And the timing could not be better.
When the war in Ukraine began, Russia faced a very difficult situation.
Its tank fleet was taking heavy losses, and although its factories could (mostly) keep up with attrition, it became clear something needed to change.
Throughout the war, Russia has been making changes to the T-90M, tinkering with its external armor and even integrating Active Protection Systems (APS).
Additionally, the Russians have been forced to change how they deploy their tanks in Ukraine.
While these changes have had little effect on the front lines, open-source estimates suggest Russian tank losses have decreased in 2026.
A Brief History of the T-90
To understand the T-90’s current role in the Russian Army, it helps to know its history.
In the Soviet Union’s later years, the tank was conceived as an upgrade to the T-72.
Object 188, later developed into the T-90, was internally designated the T-72BM.
T-90 Tank. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Russian T-90 Tank. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
However, when the USSR collapsed, the project was designated as an entirely new tank, partly for marketing and partly because it represented the first post-Soviet Russian tank design.
Object 188 was christened as the T-90, since it was developed in the 90s, and accepted into Russian service in 1992.
However, astute experts soon noticed that the T-90 and the T-72 were not all that different.
Both tanks used Kontakt-5 ERA, used the same hull layout, and the same engine.
The most notable difference was the T-90’s new turret and its Shtora-1 soft-kill APS (there are plenty of other differences, but they are too minor to note).
The T-90 received a major upgrade with the introduction of the new T-90M standard.
The T-90M features a redesigned welded turret with bustle ammo storage.
Russian studies of combat experience found that extra ammo in the T-72’s fighting compartment was largely responsible for devastating ammunition fires.
To that end, extra ammunition was relocated to the tank’s bustle storage, which was fitted with blowout panels in case of ammo cookoffs.
However, the T-90M retains the same carousel-autoloader fitted on previous T-90s and the T-72.
The T-90M is also equipped with new Relikt ERA and the Kalina improved combat information and control systems.
The T-90M also introduced many other improvements, but the tank is a massive step in the right direction compared to its predecessors.
The T-90 in Ukraine
The T-90M received its baptism by fire during the war in Ukraine.
Despite numerous improvements, the tank fared no better than the T-72 and the T-80.
The tank was just as vulnerable to ATGMs as other models, and the widespread proliferation of FPV drones allowed Ukrainian operators to hit the tank’s weakest points.
Poor Russian tactics also hurt the tank, as they often send single tanks into combat missions with little to no infantry or IFV support.
As of September 1, 2026, Oryx has documented 218 visually confirmed T-90 losses, 159 of which are T-90M tanks.
After the initial shock in 2022 and 2023, when tank losses were highest, the Russians knew they needed to change something.
As it stood, the T-90M was not enough to survive on Ukraine’s battlefields.
One of the first changes was the introduction of new slat/cage armor, colloquially called “cope cages” in certain internet circles.
Improvised armor has evolved significantly over the last four years. With the right techniques, slat armor can substantially raise a tank’s survivability.
Some footage from Ukraine shows Soviet-era tanks with extensive add-on armor taking dozens of hits from drones.
However, when done poorly, improvised external armor can obstruct a tank’s sights and prevent the turret from rotating properly.
Transforming Russia’s Tank Fleet
Experience in Ukraine has led the Russians to consider new upgrades for the T-90.
According to some sources, the Russians are considering a new variant of the tank designated T-90M2 “Ryvok-1.” Reliable information on this new variant is scarce, but Russian sources suggest it will improve the tank’s mobility, particularly its reverse speed.
According to leaked reports, the T-90M2 is expected to enter production this year, with hopes of producing around 400 T-90Ms by 2029 (take these claims with a grain of salt).
The Russians have also been working to integrate the Arena-M APS into the T-90M.
Early this year, Arena-equipped T-90Ms were spotted at Russian training grounds, with Russian state media outlets claiming that the tanks were heading to Ukraine.
It is unclear whether any T-90s with the Arena-M have actually reached Ukraine.
The Russians have been forced to rethink how they deploy their tanks.
With drones operating all across the front lines, sending tanks on breakthrough missions is a recipe for disaster.
The Russians have begun experimenting with new tactics in which one tank provides overwatch from a distance, while the other delivers short bursts of aggressive direct fire before quickly disengaging and repositioning.
For the most part, however, tanks are largely relegated to indirect-fire roles, engaging enemy positions from afar and quickly retreating to avoid detection by enemy drones.
Have these tactics helped?
A little.
While the Russians have made little progress on the front line, open-source estimates suggest that Russian tank losses have decreased overall in 2026.
This is mainly because tanks are less prevalent on the front lines than in previous years.
About the Author: Isaac Seitz
Isaac Seitz, a Defense Columnist, graduated from Patrick Henry College’s Strategic Intelligence and National Security program. He has also studied Russian at Middlebury Language Schools and has worked as an intelligence Analyst in the private sector.
