Photo: twitter.com/TrentTelenko
Images of the tires of a Russian Grad combat vehicle sent to the frontline in Ukraine suggest that Moscow's military is facing a major shortage of tires. Images posted on Twitter show that invading troops have fitted "Made in USSR" tires to a multiple rocket launcher.
For those who don't know, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) ceased to exist in December 1991. That means the tires in the pictures are long out of warranty, so to speak.
Normally, tires have a lifespan of up to ten years, but not in Putin's Russia. Experts and manufacturers recommend that tires that reach their 10 year lifespan are subject to mandatory replacement, even if they appear to be intact and have not reached their wear limits.
Not only does the fact that they have a "Made in USSR" mark, written in English, which suggests they were originally exported products, reveal their age, but also how they look. It can be seen quite clearly that there are cracks on the side walls.
The BM-21 Grad is a Soviet truck-mounted 122 mm multiple rocket launcher that weighs 13.71 tonnes (30,225 lb) and is 3.09 meter (10 ft 2 in) height. This means that the importance of tires capable to support its weight during travel or during rocket launch is a primary requirement.
Tires seem to be one of the vulnerable points of the Russian army in Ukraine. As the weather became warmer, the poor quality of the tires caused Russian vehicles to get stuck in the mud, slowing the advance of Putin's forces.
With Russian armored vehicles getting stuck in the mud, Western officials believe Chinese tire imports into the country could be partially to blame for blocking the invasion of Ukraine. Corrupt Russian officers may have saved money on tires by opting for cheap Chinese alternatives, at the expense of quality.
Normally, tires have a lifespan of up to ten years, but not in Putin's Russia. Experts and manufacturers recommend that tires that reach their 10 year lifespan are subject to mandatory replacement, even if they appear to be intact and have not reached their wear limits.
Not only does the fact that they have a "Made in USSR" mark, written in English, which suggests they were originally exported products, reveal their age, but also how they look. It can be seen quite clearly that there are cracks on the side walls.
The BM-21 Grad is a Soviet truck-mounted 122 mm multiple rocket launcher that weighs 13.71 tonnes (30,225 lb) and is 3.09 meter (10 ft 2 in) height. This means that the importance of tires capable to support its weight during travel or during rocket launch is a primary requirement.
Tires seem to be one of the vulnerable points of the Russian army in Ukraine. As the weather became warmer, the poor quality of the tires caused Russian vehicles to get stuck in the mud, slowing the advance of Putin's forces.
With Russian armored vehicles getting stuck in the mud, Western officials believe Chinese tire imports into the country could be partially to blame for blocking the invasion of Ukraine. Corrupt Russian officers may have saved money on tires by opting for cheap Chinese alternatives, at the expense of quality.
It has been a little while since I've talked about truck tires, but I've been DM-ed a couple of photos what are worth a thread.????
— Trent Telenko (@TrentTelenko) May 2, 2022
This is a Russian Grad launch truck with really old tires.????
1/ pic.twitter.com/OocLp4yazJ
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