Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
There are several options, but it’s most likely a sign of the Russian army struggling in Ukraine.
A newly reviewed set of satellite images has revealed surprising changes at a remote military storage site in Russia’s Far East, United24 Media reports.
The base, located in Arsenievo, was once densely packed with aging armored vehicles, but the facility now appears largely stripped.
But what does this mean? Is it a sign that Russia is struggling more in Ukraine than it admits, or does it suggest that Moscow is preparing for something bigger?
A vanishing stockpile
Open-source intelligence specialists examined imagery from November alongside photos taken months earlier and before the full-scale invasion. According to their assessment, the depot — previously one of Russia’s biggest hubs for MT-LB armored carriers — has been almost completely cleared out.
The X user Jompy posted images showing that where hundreds of machines once filled the yard, only a few remain, many in poor condition.
He reported that just three MT-LB vehicles are still on site, all of them badly damaged and unlikely to be serviceable.
The facility, located about 7,000 kilometers from the Ukrainian front, has long served as a strategic reserve for armor deployed in Russia’s ongoing campaign.
OSINT assessments cited by Jompy suggest the base may once have held several hundred MT-LBs before they were gradually removed for refurbishment, frontline deployment, or dismantling.
Emptying across the region
United24 Media reports that Arsenievo is not the only depot showing significant depletion.
Jompy noted that satellite views of other hubs, including Ussuriysk, reveal a similar pattern: armored vehicles gone, military trucks left behind.
The 7033rd arsenal, previously home to self-propelled guns and MLRS units, also appears mostly abandoned.
Another major storage center, the 7020th base, has not yet been updated through recent satellite coverage, but analysts expect that new imagery may show the same trend.
So what does it mean?
The dwindling supplies at these Russian bases could indicate that Moscow is struggling more in Ukraine than officials publicly acknowledge.
It may also suggest that Western sanctions are hindering Russia’s military industry, leaving manufacturers without the components needed to maintain or produce new equipment — forcing the army to fall back on outdated hardware.
Another possibility is that Russia is repositioning equipment in preparation for a new phase of the war, whether in Ukraine or elsewhere.
There have been reports of increased troop and equipment movements near NATO’s eastern flank, but considering battlefield reports on how much the Russian army is struggling in Ukraine, this scenario is unlikely.
Sources: Jompy (X), Frontelligence Insight, United24 Media
