from Beaufit:
figure 1: In March, output fell in almost all central Russian industries. Source: CEIC, Rosstat and BOFIT.
From the article (translated via Google.Translate):
In March (seasonally adjusted), output in almost all key industries declined slightly from the previous month. Each year, output in most industries continues to grow, but at a slower pace than before.
Also in the processing industry, annual output growth slowed to 6% in March. However, the processing industry was one of the only key industries whose output grew on a monthly (seasonally adjusted) basis. The growth of process industries continued to be driven by industries related to the war in particular. After slowing down at the end of last year, their output grew again at the beginning of this year. BOFIT's recent blog also explores the role of war-related industries in Russia's recent economic development.
Although the economy was at war, production seemed unable to keep up with battlefield losses.from Independent software engineer today:
Recent satellite imagery of depleted Russian military vehicle and weapons storage facilities further suggests that Russia is currently sustaining its war effort primarily by withdrawing from storage rather than manufacturing new vehicles and certain weapons on a large scale. Weekly newspaper According to a report on May 8, a social media source who tracks Russia’s military inventory said that satellite images show that Russia’s vehicle inventory has dropped significantly by nearly 32% compared with pre-war levels, from 15,152 vehicles in 2021 to 2024. 10,389 units in May.[11] Military Warehouse Tracker notes that Russia has withdrawn most of its MT-LB multipurpose armored fighting vehicles (AFVs) from its stockpile, reducing the number from 2,527 before the war to 922 remaining; BMD Airborne Amphibious Tracked Infantry Warfare Vehicles (IFV) reduced from 637 before the war to only 244 remaining; and BTR-50 armored personnel carriers (APC), reduced from 125 before the war to only 52 remaining. Military Depot Tracker notes that Russia no longer stocks the newer models of the BTR-60, 70 and 80, with only 2,605 remaining from a pre-war stockpile of 3,313 vehicles (possibly referring to currently deployed vehicles). Military Base Tracker states that Russia currently has 1,000 to 2,000 remaining MT-LBs deployed in Ukraine. Citing satellite imagery from May 27, 2020, and March 26, 2024, another open source account on The towed artillery storage base is reportedly one of the largest towed artillery storage bases in Russia.[12] Sources said about half of the base's remaining artillery systems may be unusable due to degradation in storage, and many of the remaining systems are World War II-era artillery systems that are incompatible with modern munitions.[13]
Russia relies on large stockpiles of Soviet-era vehicles and other equipment to sustain operations and losses in Ukraine at levels far above what the current Russian Defense Infrastructure Bank (DIB) can support, and Russia has been unable to mobilize its defense base for years Facility Bank (DIB) to replenish these reserves. The British Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) think tank reported on February 12 that Russia may be able to maintain its current vehicle loss rate (more than 3,000 armored fighting vehicles per year) for at least two to three years by mainly reactivating vehicles from its inventory.[14] IISS also estimates that Russia has lost more than 3,000 armored fighting vehicles in 2023 and nearly 8,000 armored fighting vehicles since February 2022. Russia may reactivate at least 1,180 main battle tanks and approximately 2,470 tanks that were withdrawn from inventory. infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers in 2023.[15] Ukrainian military observer Kostiantin Mashavetz reported on February 4 that the Russian Defense Industrial Base (DIB) can produce 250 to 300 new modern tanks every year and repair an additional 250 to 300 tanks every year.[16] In the long term, Russia may struggle to adequately supply its forces without shifting the Russian economy to a wartime footing – a move that Russian President Vladimir Putin has so far tried to avoid.[17]
