Russian armored vehicles vanish from Ukraine's battlefield

Russian armored vehicles, such as BMP-3, BMD-4, and BTR-82, which were regularly used on the front in Ukraine, are beginning to disappear. UNIAN states that, according to the OSINT analysis, since February, their presence on the battlefield has significantly decreased.

Richard Vereker, an OSINT researcher, noted that throughout the war, about 25% of the losses in Russian armored infantry involved new machines. However, in July, these losses began to rise sharply, peaking in October and November when 38% of the losses involved new vehicles.

The increase in the losses of new vehicles coincided with intensified fighting as Russia attempted to gain more territory. Vereker suggests that during this time, Russia used its best units and most advanced equipment.

Since December, losses of new vehicles have begun to decline, reaching 21% in February and 17% in March, the lowest since the start of the war. Vereker presents two theories: an optimistic one that Russia has lost most of its new equipment, and a pessimistic one that Russia is holding back its best equipment, believing a victory is near.

UNIAN also reports that the Russian army is running out of old T-72 tanks, which are no longer produced but have recently made up the majority of Russia's tank fleet. Their absence in loss statistics results from the decreasing number of these vehicles.

The history of the T-72 tank began in the 1970s. Since then, this vehicle has undergone numerous modernizations. Among them, the T-72B3 version stands out thanks to its modern Sosna-U sight and improved reactive armor. The T-72B3 model is equipped with a 125mm 2A46M gun and PKT 7.62mm and 12.7mm machine guns. These modifications significantly increased its effectiveness on the battlefield.

On the other hand, the BMP-3, another piece of equipment disappearing from the front, was created as a successor to the BMP-2 model, drawing from previous design solutions, especially in terms of its chassis. Series production of this vehicle began in 1986, and soon after, the BMP-3 became an integral part of the Russian armed forces.

This infantry fighting vehicle offers modern technical solutions compared to its predecessor. It is equipped with a modernized UTD-29M engine with a power of 500 HP, allowing it to reach speeds of up to 45 mph on land and 6 mph in water.

The operational range of the BMP-3 is up to 370 miles on a full tank of fuel. Its armament is a combination of two guns: a 100mm 2A70 and a 30mm 2A72, supported by a 7.62mm PKT machine gun. The front armor of the BMP-3 is designed to effectively protect against ammunition up to 30mm caliber.