From 5,700 to 1,110: Decline of Ukraine’s tank force from 1993 to 2013

Defense Express reported studying past mistakes is crucial to avoid repeating them in the future. 

Historical data reveals that in June 1993, Ukraine’s Armed Forces had over 5,700 tanks, but by November 2013, this number had dropped to just 1,110—almost a fivefold reduction. This sharp decline reflects the consequences of inconsistent military strategy and unclear foreign policy priorities over the years. 

The main issue was that Ukrainian leadership failed to establish a clear direction for defense policy aligned with foreign policy goals, resulting in fluctuating priorities for military development. Despite defense spending remaining over 2% of GDP during the 2000s, ineffective resource management and conceptual confusion led to underperformance. 

Additionally, while Ukraine expanded its Border Guard force from 25,000 to 50,000 between 1992 and 2000, it reversed this trend after 2000, which became a costly mistake during the 2014 conflict. Despite increasing international military exercises, with NATO playing a major role, Ukraine’s official foreign policy still leaned toward Russia, undermining strategic clarity.

In conclusion, mismanagement of defense resources, lack of a coherent strategy, and insufficient investment led to a dramatic reduction in military capability, as reflected in the tank numbers. This serves as a reminder of the importance of consistent, well-planned defense strategies.

• Military expert Valerii Riabykh, director of development at the information and consulting company Defense Express, discussed key enemy military facilities located in Kazan during an interview on Espreso.