Bandera armored uniques of the special operation "Z"
Experienced BMP "Kevlar-E", assembled on the basis of self-propelled guns "Gvozdika", which, in turn, was built on the basis of MTLB
Armored vinaigrette a la Bandera
Ukraine inherited an extensive armored economy, including both a fleet of serial vehicles and remarkable competencies in the construction tanks. Now, when Russia with its high-precision weapons and artillery is gradually destroying the military-technical potential of the enemy, Ukrainian nationalists have to throw their last reserves into battle. Based on open sources, we tried to collect the most unusual and interesting examples of Bandera armored vehicles.
The gallery should start with the most innocent model in the Armed Forces of Ukraine - the BMM-4S medical armored vehicle, one copy of which was “trophied” by the allied forces. The product is built on the basis of the Bucephalus BTR-4E and is distinguished by a three-dimensional module for accommodating the wounded. According to the developer (Kharkov Bureau of Mechanical Engineering), the BMM can carry up to ten wounded and three crew members - a driver, an orderly and a doctor.
The car has a bad history. Eight years ago, 42 medical transporters for the Iraqi army were manufactured in Kharkov. It should be noted that the machines were built according to the principle "and so it will do." As a result, even for unpretentious Iraqis, the terrible quality of armored vehicles turned out to be critical, and the entire batch went back to Ukraine. The fate of the Iraqi vehicles is not completely known, but at least 14 vehicles served in the National Guard and the Armed Forces of Ukraine. At least one of them is now working for the allied forces.
Ukrainian BMM-4S before the special operation. Source: wikipedia.org
Rare trophy - medical BMM-4S. Source: @Ugolok_Sitha
An even rarer Ukrainian armored vehicle is the mine-clearing combat vehicle (BMR-1/2) on the T-64A platform. There are only three such sapper tanks in the whole of Ukraine, one of which joined the ranks of trophies of the Russian army. This is a modern interpretation of the old Soviet vehicles BMR-1 and BMR-2, created on the basis of the SU-122-54 and T-54B, respectively. Engineering tanks have proven themselves well in Afghanistan and, of course, will find their place among the trophies of the allied forces in the Donbass.
Demining combat vehicles on the T-64 platform. Source: diana-mihailova.livejournal.com
The only experienced Ukrainian infantry fighting vehicle "Kevlar-E", built on the basis of the self-propelled gun 2C1 "Carnation", can be considered a real exclusive. In Kharkov, the self-propelled guns got rid of the 122-mm guns, and instead they installed the Shturm module with a 30-mm automatic cannon, which is also used on Ukrainian armored personnel carriers. The construction of an infantry fighting vehicle on the platform of an artillery gun is not accidental - the Gvozdika itself is based on the MTLB tractor. That is, we can say that Ukrainian engineers simply returned the product to its place. Naturally, the Kevlar-E armor was strengthened, and the troop compartment was designed for 6 people. Bandera used an experienced infantry fighting vehicle in the Kharkov region, but at the moment nothing is known about the fate of the vehicle.
Experienced BMP "Kevlar-E". Source: thedrive.com
It is not easy to determine exactly whether the next sample belongs to one or another type of armored vehicles. What will happen if a twin ZU-4-55 is installed on the engineering BTS-23, which, we recall, is built from T-2? Let's call this creation Bandera's "Terminator". The conversion of obsolete engineering equipment into fire support vehicles has become a fairly common occurrence in Ukraine. In addition to the BTS-4, demining machines UR-77 and again self-propelled guns "Gvozdika" are used for autogenous and welding. At least one such strike BTS-4 with the name "Bereg" was among the trophies of the allied forces.
Examples of misuse of engineering equipment by Ukrainians. Above - BTS-4, below - UR-77. Since 2014, nationalists have been working with such crafts. Source: @Ugolok_Sitha
The next tank is quite difficult to identify with the naked eye. Meanwhile, the T-72AMT, modernized by the Kyiv Armored Plant, is a very interesting machine. And rare - before the special operation in Ukraine, there were only thirty-six of these tanks. It is reliably known that Bandera lost a pair of T-72AMTs near Chernigov, and one in good condition went from near Kyiv to Kubinka for a detailed study.
Many commentators on the Web claim that in the photographs, among the scraps of Ukrainian tank armor, you can see several more dead vehicles of this modification. Among the design bonuses are imported radio communications, the infamous Knife dynamic protection, a remote-controlled module with a 12,7-mm machine gun and a new fire control system. Some experts claim that the T-72AMT is approaching the Russian T-72B3 in terms of combat effectiveness.
T-72AMT. One of the machines is already under study in Kubinka. Source: vk.com
Of course, the self-propelled 120-mm mortar BTR-3M2 belongs to the category of rare enemy animals of the special operation "Z". Until February 24, Bandera had no more than 8 cars in service. Now most of them have either been destroyed, for example, in Mariupol, or are fighting as part of the LDNR forces.
There is a possibility that Bandera’s self-propelled 120-mm mortars BTR-3M2 are no longer in good condition. Source: vk.com
Another rare tank of Ukrainian nationalists is the T-64B1M. These are the so-called "African" cars built before 2014 for the Congo. But after the Maidan, all the equipment was requisitioned for the needs of the ATO.
The tank turned out to be cheap (no more than 200 thousand dollars) and did not undergo significant alterations. They say that the car was equipped with a built-in dynamic protection instead of a hinged one, and also a spacious aft niche was welded on. In total, there were no more than 10 tanks in the National Guard, of which most had already died in Mariupol or were completely gone.
T-64B1M from the "African" stocks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Source: vk.com
The story about the tanks of Mariupol will be incomplete if you do not tell about the T-64A, on which the militants fought. What is special about it, the reader asks? The fact is that the tank was removed from the pedestal at the Azovmash plant and sent into battle. Most likely, even the engine was not changed.
In general, this fact is undeservedly overlooked. The car stood in the open air for a decade, survived only cosmetic repairs, but if necessary, it turned out to be a completely combat-ready unit. The T-64A has a capricious and imperfect 5TDF diesel engine, which was not reliable even during routine maintenance. But in 2022, the monument started up and went into battle. How is this story not a hymn to the Soviet design school of tank building?
The nationalists in Mariupol simply removed this T-64A from the pedestal near the Azovmash plant and went into battle with it. Source: t.me
There is a lot of Soviet technology in Ukraine, so the field for creativity is practically unlimited. One of these factory handicrafts was the BMP-1TS with the combat module "Spis" or "Spear" - in Russian. An imported Motorola DM-4601 radio station was installed on the armored vehicle, and the module was equipped with a 30-mm cannon, a thermal imager, and an AG-17 grenade launcher; 7,62 mm PKT machine gun and homegrown Barrier ATGM. Locally increased the booking of jobs for the driver and commander. This is a fresh modification of the well-deserved "one", she entered the troops only last year. At least 10 such infantry fighting vehicles served Bandera, at least one of which was destroyed near Volnovakha. It is alleged that the deceased BMP-1TS was assigned to the "Aidarovtsy" from the 53rd mechanized brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
BMP-1TS. Source: t.me
Further continuation of hostilities on the territory of Ukraine does not bode well for the Kyiv regime. In addition to problems of a strategic scale, huge losses of armored vehicles come to the fore, which no lend-lease can cover. Banderists are forced to change to equipment that is completely unsuitable for the realities of the special operation. But more on that in the next post.
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