Yes, I'm sure they publicly announced to the world with great honesty that they have less than forty T-14's. A country, which like ours, has gone to unbelievable and ridiculous lengths to twist their adversaries perception of what they had and didnt have during the Cold War.
Yes, I agree in regards to "not too much transparency" in view of military related production issues in Russia.
The problem Russia is facing now and had been facing already during the cold-war, is the quality and technical state of the art and reliability of it's weapon-systems.
There is a clear cost factor that is in relation to a countries GDP/capita) as to why e.g. a NATO MBT costs around 8-10$million whilst it's Russian counterpart is priced at around 2-3$ million. The newest versions of Leopard and Abrams cost around 25$million a piece - Russia's cost for the T-14 is estimated at 10-15$million. As such the T-14 would be ridiculously expensive compared to a Leo2A7, in view of a GDP/capita comparison. Which aside from a shortage in high-tec components would reasonably justify very low estimates of the available T-14's or their ongoing production.
In other words Russian costs for their existing pre 2015 military equipment as in the above example - are more or less at the same (GDP ratio) as those in the West - but technologically and quality wise no where near NATO stuff.
When Putin attacked Ukraine he assumed that his forces will face the same (sorry; military hardware crap) as the one Russian forces have - however with a clear advantage in numbers. For an unknown reason (to me at least) the manpower he send into Ukraine was far too low - totally out of ratio in regards to Ukraine's known manpower. Which however shows that Russian military doctrine has a complete different ratio aspect between hardware and manpower (due to whatever reason) - compared to NATO or any other modern military power including the ratio aspects that China's military beholds. The only reasonable explanation I have for myself is the economic and social structure of Russia that simply does not permit/allow for an adequate manpower/hardware ratio.
The Russian forces have lost that numerical hardware superiority already in the first 6 month of this ridiculous war - in vast majority due to an incapable military leadership which beholds antiquated methodical/tactical doctrines, right down to the inefficiency within the NCO ranks. Not to mention the average low moral and motivation amongst the grunts.
Interestingly Putin seems to be aware of this miss-ratio in the meantime and has since October issued directives to a). replenish the manpower losses (around 200,000) and b). to mobilize an additional 500,000? men. The paradox being, that the Russian forces would in future posses the adequate hardware/manpower ratio that would have initially been needed - but there is not enough hardware around anymore, that would factually lead to the appropriate hardware/manpower ratio.
Ukraine's methodical/tactical military abilities are in general superior (due to NATO training having increased since 2014) to those of Russia. Whilst Russia is bleeding out every day on old-fashioned hardware - Ukraine is being replenished with modern equipment, admittedly presenting a high financial burden to NATO. Most importantly Ukraine has however enough manpower resources to keep in ratio with the new and added hardware.
IMO Putin - is an intelligent person with a very shrewd character - militarily he has no way to win this ridiculous war and I am sure he is aware of that, as such he turned into a gambler from April/May 2022 onward who placed his bet, solely with the prospect that the West will cease it's support to Ukraine - till then keep NATO's spending costs on the rise - being countered with cheap Russian cannon-fodder. He clearly miscalculated on behalf of an "expected" support by other countries - foremost by China and the other BRIC members, and the prospect of NATO respectively the USA getting themselves into another war in parallel via inciting the Taiwan issue.
Just my thoughts on this topic guys - looking forward to your opinions and statements