The Russian-Ukrainian conflict has now reached a critical juncture, the two sides have begun negotiations, and are now entering a state of fighting and talking at the same time. According to the news of the Ukrainian armed forces on the 25th, there are about 30,000 to 60,000 Russian troops fighting in Ukraine, and 60 battalion-level tactical groups. The Ukrainian regular army has 200,000 people, the paramilitary force has 100,000 people, and the reserve army has 250,000 people. The Russian military used tens of thousands of people to fight so many ukrainian troops, and in the case that Russia's air and space forces did not dispatch very frequently, they made Ukraine like this.
Thinking back to that year, when the Soviet Union just collapsed, Ukraine inherited nearly 30 percent of the Soviet Union's military heritage, a proper world-class military power. In the Soviet era, there were a large number of military enterprises and weapons research institutions located in Ukraine, and after the collapse of the Soviet Union, these military industrial units were inherited by Ukraine, and it can be said that Ukraine inherited one-third of the Soviet Union's military production capacity. Of course, we will not talk about these military-industrial units today, we will only talk about the strength of the Ukrainian armed forces in 1992, and at the same time compare the strength of the Ukrainian armed forces before the war in 2022, so that everyone can have an intuitive comparison and see how much Ukraine has weakened after 30 years. This article will list the equipment of the 1992 Ukrainian Army, Sea, Air and Rocket Force in detail, and those who like it can collect and pay attention to a wave.
Hell grade P chart
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukraine decided to bring all military formations deployed by the Soviet armed forces in Ukraine under its jurisdiction and established the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, from which the Ukrainian armed forces were born. Ukraine's inherited armed forces have a total strength of about 780,000 people, compared with only 200,000 before the start of the war in 2022, about a quarter of what it was in 1992.
Ground troops:
In 1992, Ukraine inherited 6,480 tanks from the Soviet Union, including 2,700 T-54/-55 tanks, 2,100 T-64 tanks, 1,000 T-72 tanks, 300 T-80 tanks, 200 T-62 tanks, and 180 PT-76 light amphibious tanks, of which 3,400 were third-generation tanks. Before the start of the war in 2022, Ukraine had a total of 2596 tanks (including active service and reserve), which were three generations of tanks, and all of them were inherited from the Soviet Union, of course, some of which were modernized.
In 1992, a total of 3686 infantry fighting vehicles were inherited, including 1770 BMP-1, 1250 BMP-2, 350 BRM, 310 BMD-1 and 6 BMP-3. Ukraine, which had 2,411 infantry fighting vehicles before the start of the war in 2022, is a legacy of the Soviet Union.
In 1992, a total of 8,300 armored personnel carriers were inherited, including 2,200 BTR-50P/-60P/-70/-80/-152, 100 BTR-D and 6,000 others. Ukraine before the start of the war in 2022 had 1,255 armored personnel carriers, all of which were Soviet heritage, and the number was only 15 percent of what it was 30 years ago.
In 1992, a total of 830 howitzers above 120mm caliber were inherited, including 250 D-20 howitzers of 152mm caliber, 250 D-30 howitzers of 122mm caliber, 220 152mm 2A36 howitzers, and 110 152mm 2A65 howitzers. The large-caliber howitzers now used in Ukraine are inherited from the Soviet Union.
In 1992, a total of 1245 self-propelled guns were inherited, including 520 122mm caliber 2S1s, 510 152mm 2S3s, 100 203mm 2S7s, 25 152mm 2S5s, 10 152mm 2S19s, and 80 120mm 2S9s. Ukraine had 1,067 pre-war 2022 units, most of which were inherited from the Soviet Union, and only a small number of which were later produced and purchased by themselves.
In 1992, a total of 531 multiple rocket launchers were inherited, including 310 122 mm BM-21s, 150 220 mm 9P140s, 50 300mm 9A52s, 18 122mm 9P138s, and 3 132mm BM-13s. Ukraine had 490 pre-war aircraft, the vast majority of which were inherited from the Soviet Union.
In 1992, a total of 470 large-caliber mortars were inherited, including 260 120mm PM-38s and 210 120mm 2S12s. There are now 386 doors in pre-war Ukraine, of which 140 were later produced by Ukraine itself, and the rest were Soviet.
Army Aviation Equipment:
In 1992, there were 245 helicopter gunships, all of which were Mi-24 Female Deer helicopter gunships; in 2022, the Ukrainian Land Aviation had only 35 Mi-24 gunships, a sudden shrinkage of 85.4 percent.
In 1992, there were 348 support helicopters, including 280 Mi-8s, 60 Mi-6s and 8 Mi-24K reconnaissance/observation. Before the 2022 war, the Ukrainian land aviation had only 46 Mi-8s.
In 1992, there were 100 transport helicopters, including 80 Mi-2 "heavy infantry" and 20 Mi-26. Before the war in 2022, the Ukrainian land aviation had only 11 Mi-26s.
Ukraine's land aviation before the start of the war in 2022 shrank by 86.7 percent compared to 30 years ago.
Air Force Equipment:
In 1992 the Ukrainian Air Force had a total of 610 fighters, including 220 MiG-29 fighters, 190 MiG-23 fighters, 80 MiG-25 fighters, 80 Su-15 fighters and 40 Su-27 Flanker fighters. The Ukrainian Air Force before the 2022 war had only 69 aircraft, one-tenth of what it was 30 years ago.
In 1992, there were 172 Ukrainian Air Force bombers, including 36 Tu-26 backfire bombers, 30 Tu-16 Badger bombers (prototype of the Bomber 6), 30 Tu-22 bombers, 21 Tu-95H Bear strategic bombers, 20 Tu-160 strategic bombers, and 35 Yak-28 (Yak-28). Ukraine before the 2022 war had no bombers.
In 1992, a total of 90 fighter-bombers/ground attack aircraft were inherited, including 60 Su-24 Fencers and 30 Su-25 Frogfoots. The Ukrainian Air Force before the war in 2022 had only 29 aircraft.
In 1992, a total of 87 reconnaissance aircraft were inherited, including 30 Tu-22R reconnaissance aircraft, 30 Su-17R reconnaissance aircraft, 5 MiG-25R reconnaissance aircraft and 12 Su-24MR reconnaissance aircraft. At present, the pre-war Ukrainian Air Force has only 3 reconnaissance aircraft
In 1992, tankers inherited a total of 20 Il-78 jumbo tankers. Today's Ukrainian Air Force does not have tankers
In 1992, a total of 2,400 surface-to-air missiles were inherited. The exact number today is unknown.
Naval Aviation Equipment:
In 1992, a total of 65 bombers were inherited, including 45 Tu-26 backfire bombers, 10 Tu-16 Badgers, and 10 Tu-22 bombers;
In 1992, a total of 40 Su-17s were inherited from fighter-bombers/ground attack aircraft;
In 1992, the fighter inherited a total of 35 MiG-29s;
In 1992, a total of 23 Be-12s were inherited by maritime reconnaissance/anti-submarine fighters;
In 1992, there were 21 maritime reconnaissance/electronic warfare aircraft, including 12 Tu-16s, 6 Tu-22s, 2 An-12s and 1 Il-20RT;
In 1992, the tanker inherited 3 Tu-16N tanker versions;
In 1992, 85 anti-submarine helicopters were inherited, including 49 Ka-25 helicopters, 31 Mi-14 helicopters, and 5 Ka-27 helicopters;
In addition, in 1992 Ukraine inherited five Mi-14BT demining helicopters.
Before the start of the war in 2022, the Ukrainian Naval Aviation had only 6 transport aircraft, 11 helicopters, and 6 drones, which was not the same as 30 years ago.
Naval Equipment:
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, The first naval vessel ukraine inherited was the 1,077-ton Petya-class frigate SKR-112, the first soviet warship to swear allegiance to Ukraine. Although the title of this article is written in 1992, but the Ukrainian Navy in 1992 has not fully inherited the Soviet legacy, the Black Sea Fleet at that time Russia and Ukraine were common, until 1997 with russia to complete the separation, this period will be divided every year, so here we will not go into detail about the specific types of warships inherited by the Ukrainian Navy, only count the total number of inheritance after the complete separation in 1997.
At the scale of the Ukrainian Navy in 1997, there were 1 guided-missile cruiser capable of carrying helicopters, 5 ordinary cruisers, 7 destroyers, 26 frigates, 18 submarines, 30 mine warships, 60 patrol boats (including gunboats, guided missile boats, etc.), 16 amphibious ships, and more than 140 support/auxiliary ships of various kinds. Most of these ships inherited by the Ukrainian Navy are obsolete or unusable, and some unbuilt ships, such as the Varyag aircraft carrier, have also been inherited. After 1997, due to Ukraine's lack of attention and lack of funds, most of the ships were scrapped or ceased to operate due to lack of maintenance. After Russia occupied the Crimean Peninsula in 2014, the Ukrainian Navy suffered another heavy blow, when the Crimean Peninsula was an important base for the Ukrainian Navy, and after the Russian occupation, a considerable part of the Ships of the Ukrainian Navy were captured by Russia.
The Pre-War 2022 Ukrainian Navy was basically unincorporated, with only one 3,500-ton Krivak III-class frigate in its main force, the rest being missile boats and patrol boats of 1200 tons and tens of tons, as well as several landing craft and 1 mine battleship, and the rest were basically auxiliary ships.
nuclear weapon
Today's Ukraine has no nuclear weapons, while 30 years ago Ukraine had the third largest number of nuclear weapons in the world. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukraine inherited two divisions of the 43rd Rocket Force: the 19th Rocket Division and the 46th Rocket Division. The 19th Rocket Division is armed with 90 UR-100N/SS-19/RS-18 INTERCONTINENTAL ballistic missiles; the 46th Rocket Division is equipped with 40 SS-19 and 46 RT-23/SS-24 ICBMs.
Among them, the UR-100N/SS-19/RS-18 INTERCONTINENTAL ballistic missile can each carry 6 nuclear warheads, a total of 130 missiles, with a total of 780 nuclear warheads; RT-23/SS-24 intercontinental ballistic missiles can each carry 10 nuclear warheads, with a total of 460 nuclear warheads. A total of 1240 strategic nuclear warheads, in addition, because Ukraine also inherited a large number of strategic bombers, the Soviet Union deployed tactical nuclear weapons to division-level units, so Ukraine also inherited about 2500 tactical nuclear weapons, the total number of nuclear weapons reached 3740. Although Ukraine inherits a large number of nuclear weapons, but it does not have the right to use, can not be launched at will, the nuclear button is in the hands of Russia, only Moscow issued a directive, Ukraine can launch, want to bypass this instruction to launch alone is basically impossible. On 5 December 1994, Ukraine signed a memorandum of understanding with Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States in which Ukraine agreed to eliminate nuclear weapons and accede to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty as a non-nuclear-weapon State.
In addition to inheriting the equipment above, Ukraine also inherited a large amount of ammunition and light weapons left behind by the Soviet Union. According to preliminary estimates from Ukraine and NATO, Soviet troops left behind 2.5 million tons of conventional ammunition and more than 7 million rifles, pistols, machine guns and mortars in Ukraine. Surplus weapons and ammunition are stored in more than 180 military bases, and as of 2014, most of the ammunition and weapons have not been scrapped, enough for Ukraine to eat for many years.
The peak of Ukraine's military power was in the 1990s, when Ukraine's military strength ranked among the top five in the world, much stronger than today's Ukrainian military strength, and it was not an order of magnitude at all.