Russian military faces historic losses amid Ukrainian retaliation
In March 2025, the Russian army suffered the greatest losses in artillery and vehicles since the beginning of the invasion, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
In March 2025, the Russian army experienced its largest losses in artillery and vehicles since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine. Since the start of the year, the Russians have lost over 800 tanks. In March alone, the Ukrainians destroyed exactly 1,644 Russian artillery systems.
Losses in military equipment
In March, Ukrainian forces destroyed or damaged 272 Russian tanks, bringing the total to 833 units since the beginning of the year. The greatest successes in tank destruction were noted in October 2023, when 521 tanks were destroyed.
Ukrainian defenders also destroyed 1,644 artillery systems, which is the highest monthly result since the beginning of the invasion. The record day was 27th March, when 122 artillery units were destroyed, as calculated by the General Staff.
Effectiveness of Ukrainian defence
In March, 607 armoured combat vehicles were also destroyed. In total, in the first quarter of 2025, Ukrainian forces destroyed 1,813 such vehicles. Additionally, in March, 3,545 transport vehicles and tankers were destroyed, the highest number since the beginning of the invasion.
In the first three months of 2025, Ukrainian forces destroyed 9,971 Russian army vehicles. For comparison, in the same period in 2024, 3,422 vehicles were destroyed. According to the Ukrainians, these figures demonstrate the effectiveness of the Ukrainian defence and the progress in conducting retaliatory strikes.
The Ukrainians do not reveal which specific vehicles are most frequently destroyed. It is worth noting, however, that in the context of tanks, social media regularly features materials showing the elimination of Putin's most advanced constructions, the T-90M Proryv tanks.
The T-90M Proryv is one of the most technologically advanced tanks in the Russian army's arsenal. It is equipped with a modern 125 mm 2A46M-5 cannon and an upgraded fire control system called Kalina. The Relikt reactive armour, which secures both the turret and the tank's hull, provides additional protection. The tank's armament is supplemented by two machine guns of 7.62 mm and 12.7 mm calibre.
As for artillery equipment, one of the more popular constructions in the Russian arsenal is the 2S1 Gvozdika howitzer. This is a tracked vehicle whose design dates back to the 1960s. Its propulsion is provided by an engine generating either 300 or 240 horsepower, depending on the version, which enables this 17-tonne machine to reach a maximum speed of 60 km/h. The main armament of the Gvozdika is the 122 mm 2A31 howitzer, with a range of 15 km, which can be extended to 22 km when using rocket-assisted ammunition.
