Russians resort to antique tanks as Ukraine begins to get modern western tanks

 ISW:

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Russian forces may be deploying T-54/55 tanks from long-term storage to Ukraine to compensate for significant armored vehicle losses. The Georgia-based open-source Conflict Intelligence Team research group reported on March 22 that Russian forces transported a train loaded with T-54/55 tanks from Primorsky Krai towards western Russia, and social media sources speculated that Russian forces may deploy them to Ukraine.[22] Dutch open-source group Oryx assessed as of March 22 that Russian forces have lost at least 57 T-90, 448 T-80, 1,025 T-72, 53 T-64, and 73 T-62 tanks in highly attritional fighting in Ukraine.[23] Russian armored vehicle losses are currently constraining the Russian military’s ability to conduct effective mechanized maneuver warfare in stalling offensives in Ukraine, and Russian forces may be deploying T-54/55 tanks from storage to Ukraine to augment these offensive operations and prepare for anticipated mechanized Ukrainian counteroffensives. The Soviet Union produced tens of thousands of T-54/55 tanks after the Second World War, and the Russian military may be turning to extensive Soviet reserves of these tanks to solve its significant armored vehicle shortages. The Russian military may also be deciding to field the tanks because parts to repair the T-54/55 tanks are abundantly available and substantially cheaper. T-54/55 tanks lack the armor capabilities of more modern armored equipment, however, and originally carried a smaller main gun, although the Russian military may have modernized some vehicles. The Russian military will likely experience greater numbers of casualties by fielding these older tank systems in Ukraine. The deployment of inferior equipment to replenish the Russian military's ability to conduct mechanized maneuver warfare may prompt a further degradation of Russian manpower in Ukraine. Russian forces are unlikely to achieve preferable resource attrition rates on the grounds that T-54/55 are cheaper than anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) ammunition, as some have argued—each tank loss is the loss of a tank crew as well as the tank, after all, and it is not clear how effective these tanks will be against Ukrainian armored vehicles, whereas they are highly vulnerable to many anti-tank systems available to Ukraine, not all of which are expensive.  

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I suspect the Russians hope to use the old tanks now before the US and European tanks are in service for the Ukraine army.  The T-54/55 tanks are different from the modern western tanks and they and their crews are likely to have a short life in combat with them. The ISW also reports that Russians are concerned about their vulnerability in the east on islands claimed by Japan. It is pretty clear that Russia is running out of combat power in Europe and would have difficulty responding with conventional forces in the east.

See, also:

Russian soldiers stop receiving salaries: complaints coming from all over Russia

The conscripts and contract soldiers in Russia are not paid promised salaries, allowances and social benefits.
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According to the calculations of the news outlet, since the beginning of March 2023, the salaries of the servicemen have been delayed or not paid at all in 52 regions of Russia and in occupied Crimea.

Instead of the promised 195,000 roubles [approx. USD$2,530 - ed.] per month, their accounts receive much smaller amounts.

Judging by the stories of the Russian servicemen themselves and their relatives, frequent problems with payments began in January, but at the same time, individual cases of withholding and non-payment of salaries, allowances and social benefits have been reported at least since November 2022. It is noted that both conscripts and volunteer and contract soldiers face this problem.
...

And:

 Special Operations Forces destroy Russian Strela-10 anti-aircraft system in southern Ukraine

The Russian system is used against Ukrainian drones. 

And:

Russia will change targets for attacks, focusing on logistics and military facilities

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According to the representative of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, attacks on oil depots show that the occupiers will try to destroy the critical infrastructure elements that Ukraine needs for successful combat operations. Energy system will also remain one of the Russians’ targets.
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And:

 Russia’s Shadow Army Threatens to Dump Dead Bodies on ‘Dirtbag’ Officials

When the mayor of a small town in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai told the notorious Wagner Group over the weekend that he didn’t want the area to become the new dumping ground for dead mercenaries, he apparently thought he had a say in the matter.

He didn’t. And Yevgeny Prigozhin, the cutthroat founder of the group, would soon make that frighteningly clear—with threats to dump dead bodies on his doorstep instead.
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And, Musk is not impressed with US diplomacy:

He may be overrating the new "alliance." 

And:

Ukrainian Tank Commanders Grow Impatient: ‘Give Me an Abrams!’

For now, they are holding on with inferior Soviet-era tanks, but relish the idea of taking on the Russians with modern Western equipment.