Russia is too scared to deploy its “cutting edge” Armata tank to Ukraine because President Vladimir Putin fears they will all be destroyed, the British Ministry of Defence has claimed.

Intelligence chiefs have revealed that the Kremlin fears that its “prestige tank”, known as the T-14, could become an embarrassment to Russia due to “vulnerabilities” exposed cross the country’s tank fleet.

Russia has already lost 2,600 tanks, with thousands destroyed in action or abandoned due to mechanical failure, as well as sustaining 450,000 casualties since the war in Ukraine began in 2022.

The Armata, which costs between £3m and £7m each, has been billed as the world’s most fearsome tank due to its speed, lethality and armoured protection.

But the tanks production has been marred by cost overruns and technical issues.

In a post on Twitter, the MoD said: “Where is the Armata tank? Russia’s prestige vehicle has been missing from the battlefield of Ukraine.

“Russia’s defence industry claims the tank is too “expensive” to replace. Ukraine has destroyed 2,600 tanks since the invasion. Russia is almost certainly not deploying its prestige tank due to the effectiveness of  Ukrainian equipment and tactics, vulnerabilities exposed across its tank fleet and fear of  the reputational damage through loss of a “cutting edge tank.”

The T-14 Armata’s design breaks away from previous Russian tank models, featuring a 125mm cannon housed in an unmanned turret.

The design not only reduces the crew needed to operate the tank but also significantly increases their survivability in combat situations. The crew is housed in an armoured capsule in the front of the hull, separate from the ammunition stored in the turret, reducing the risk of catastrophic damage.

The tank is equipped with a smooth bore 125mm cannon capable of firing a range of ammunition types, including guided missiles.

The Armata’s protection is described by Russia as state-of-the-art, featuring a combination of composite armour, reactive armour, and an active protection system designed to detect, track, and intercept incoming anti-tank munitions, a feature that significantly enhances its survivability on the battlefield.

The tank was first unveiled at Russia’s Victory Day Parade on May 9, 2015. The Kremlin initially planned for 2,300 of the tanks to arrive between 2015 and 2020, but production shortfalls delayed this to 2025.

In December 2021, the Russian defence company Rostec said production of around 40 tanks had started, and that they were anticipated for delivery after 2023, according to the Russian news agency Interfax.

The T-14 isn’t the only advanced combat vehicle Russia appears to be using mostly for show in Ukraine. Putin previously claimed that the T-90 was the “world’s best tank,” although Ukraine has managed to destroy these with small drones and armoured vehicles. In one particular incident that went viral earlier this year, a US-made Bradley was captured on video obliterating a T-90M with chain gun fire.

The MoD has previously said that Russia was holding back on using its Su-57 Felon fighter jets over Ukrainian airspace because it’s scared they will also get shot down too easily.