Taliban Prioritizes Repairing Soviet-Era Tanks and Armored Vehicles Amid Military Equipment Shortages
The Taliban administration, facing a shortage of heavy military equipment, has prioritized the restoration of tanks and armored vehicles left over from the Soviet era as part of its efforts to compensate for the lack of military hardware.
The former head of national security for the previous Afghan government stated that the Taliban leader has ordered the shortage of military equipment to be addressed through the refurbishment of these old weapons. This initiative began before the recent military and technical agreement with Russia was signed, and with the new accord, the scope of cooperation has expanded.
A video released by the Russian newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta shows T-55 and T-62 tanks and BMP-1 and BMP-2 armored personnel carriers freshly repainted near a repair center in Afghanistan. In November 2024, the Taliban administration announced the repair of several tanks by teams from the 215 Azm Corps, and it has been reported that over the past three years, 59 Russian tanks have been refurbished within the 207 Al-Farooq Corps.
This military and technical cooperation agreement between Russia and the Taliban administration was signed on May 26, 2024, on the sidelines of a security meeting near Moscow. The Russian president’s special envoy for Afghanistan stated that the main request from the Taliban was to focus on restoring Soviet-made equipment. In addition to tanks, the repair of Mi-17 helicopters and Kamaz trucks is also included in the joint programs.
However, the Taliban administration continues to face shortages of spare parts, qualified technicians, and adequate facilities for maintaining the older equipment, hindering the full utilization of existing military capabilities. The former head of national security noted that maintaining Western equipment without NATO support had been difficult, which is why the Taliban is concentrating on refurbishing Russian equipment.
Technical workshops in Kandahar have begun operating with the involvement of former Ministry of Defense specialists, but the lack of parts, especially without Russian cooperation, has become a significant challenge. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has demonstrated that T-55 and T-62 tanks are still relevant in some modern battles.
During the republic era, these tanks were deployed in Helmand, Kunduz, Kapisa, and Baghlan provinces. Now, with the new agreement with Russia, conditions are favorable for the continued repair of these vehicles.
Amid ongoing tensions between the Taliban administration and Pakistan and a pressing need for effective military equipment, the implementation of this agreement could demonstrate how far Russia is willing to invest and cooperate in maintaining and refurbishing its robust yet aging equipment in Afghanistan—gear that, despite its age, requires continuous support to remain operational.
