Tag Archives: bmp

Forever Wars: Baptism-of-Fire for New ‘Berezhok’, in Ukraine!

Video July 12, 2023 Hutchins AAron

On 10JUL2023, Russian news outlet RIA Novosti reported that the ‘new’ BMP-2M ‘Berezhok’ successfully attacked Ukrainian positions outside the city of Avdiivka (Avdeevka).

The BMP-2M is an upgrade of the Cold War era Soviet BMP-2. BMP stands for Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty (Боевая Машина Пехоты), literally Combat Vehicle Infantry.

The crew of the BMP-2M used their 30mm gun and two 9M133 Kornet missiles to destroy a Ukrainian machinegun nest, and a Ukrainian truck carrying troops. The BMP-2M also has a 30mm grenade launcher.

Video released by RIA Novosti claiming to show the Berezhok in combat near Avdiivka:

Berezhok is the name of a city in the south-west area that is part of the dispute between Ukraine and pro-Russian separatists.

Forever Wars: UKRAINE DEAL GETS NATO-CZECH REPUBLIC ‘NEW’ LEO 2A4

HOW TO ESCAPE A BLOWN-UP BRADLEY, UKRAINIAN STYLE!

International, Technology

Forever Wars: How to escape a blown-up Bradley, Ukrainian style!

Video July 3, 2023 Hutchins AAron

A video was released on an anonymous Ukrainian ‘Telegram’ channel of a firefight involving recently delivered U.S. made M2A2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFV). The video was recorded by an onboard camera, on what I believe is probably the platoon commanders Bradley.

The battle happened in Zaporizka Oblast (aka Zaporizhzhia), on 08JUN2023, the platoon of Bradleys made contact with enemy forces, which apparently were too powerful as the IFVs are attempting to fall back. The platoon commander is using the 25mm gun to provide covering fire as M2A2s retreat, unfortunately the retreating IFVs are driving in front of the Bradley providing covering fire!

Impressively, the gunner is able to control his trigger pulls missing the retreating vehicles, but one of the retreating Bradleys is either hit by enemy fire, or runs over a land mine. You might think the crew are dead, but amazingly the crew emerges from the back with their M4 assault rifles. A smoke grenade is thrown, then the platoon commander fires-off his smoke grenade launcher, the homeless IFV crew uses the smoke as cover while they scramble onto the platoon commander’s Bradley.

The anonymous poster of the video added crappy music, so I edited out the audio:

Interestingly, while Russian news sources made fun of the Ukrainians’ apparently failed attempt to use M2A2 Bradleys in battle, some Russian news sources also praised the Bradleys for ‘crew survivability’ admitting that the crews operating Soviet/Cold War era BMPs (Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty, Боевая Машина Пехоты, Combat Vehicle Infantry) would not have survived the same incident!

When I first joined the U.S. military during the last decade of the Cold War, crew survivability was one of the main drivers of ‘Western’/NATO combat vehicle design.

Forever Wars: SNAKE RIVER M1A2 SEP, BORESIGHT MOROCCO!

NATO GREATLY INCREASES TAXPAYER FUNDING, EXPANDS GLOBAL AMMO SUPPLY, FORMS ‘BIRDS COALITION’ WITH UKRAINE!

NATO-SLOVAK BMP (BVP) & OT-90, Cold War to Battle for Ukraine

International, Technology

Cold War to Battle for Ukraine: Slovak BMP (BVP) & OT-90

Video June 7, 2023 Hutchins AAron

Cold War: Approximately 1947 (due to U.S. President Harry Truman’s Truman Doctrine) to 1991 (Operation Desert Storm, collapse of Soviet Union).

A Indiana Army National Guard soldier gets a lesson on how the BVP works, 15SEP2015. Indiana Army National Guard photo by Sergeant Daniel Dyer.

Slovak BVP (BMP) based ambulance. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sergeant Micah VanDyke, 12OCT2016.

During the ‘Cold War’, Czech-o-Slovakia was one country created by the victors of World War Two by forcing Slovakia and Czech Republic together (just as they did after World War One). Czech-o-Slovakia became a member of the Warsaw Pact in response to the creation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Slovak BVP-1 (BMP-1). U.S. Army photo by Staff Sergeant Micah VanDyke, 12OCT2016.

Slovak BVP-1 during a NATO CBRN exercise near Lešť, 20MAR2017. U.S. Army photo by Sergeant Justin Geiger.

In the Czech-o-Slovak language the BMP became Bojové Vozidlo Pěchoty (BVP), which means basically the same thing as the Russian BMP; Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV). Like most users of the BMP/BVP, Czech-o-Slovakia made many different versions, including their unique OT-90.

Slovak OT-90 crew launches an S2M anti-aircraft missile, October 2013. Photo via Ministry of Defense of the Slovak Republic.

According to the current Ministry of Defense of Czech Republic (aka Chechia), the OT-90 was developed to carry a squad of infantry equipped with anti-aircraft weapons.

The man/woman portable S2M missile. Photo via Ministry of Defense of the Slovak Republic, October 2013.

The large turret of the BMP/BVP was replaced with a smaller turret (same used on the Czech-o-Slovak designed OT-64 armored car), to make room for the specialized anti-aircraft weapons.

S2M launch from OT-90. Photo via Ministry of Defense of the Slovak Republic, October 2013.

After the so-called Cold War ended, Czech Republic and Slovakia went their separate ways, and since there was no more Soviet-Warsaw Pact, they both joined NATO (NATO felt it necessary to remain in existence, even though its stated enemy the Soviet Union no longer existed). Today’s NATO-Czechia replaced their OT-90s with NATO-United Kingdom designed Land Rover vehicles. NATO-Slovakia still uses the OT-90.

Battle for Ukraine: February 2014 (NATO backed coup) to present.

U.S. Army video (by Sergeant Alan Brutus) of Slovak BVP-2 live-fire, during wargame Dragoon Crossing, 16SEP2015:

More live-fire video (by Christoph Koppers), 16SEP2015:

NATO video of rail off-load of Slovak BVP-2s and OT-90s, in NATO-Latvia, 13APR2017:

NATO video of Slovak BVP-1s and OT-90s, assigned to a newly formed ‘anti-Russia’ NATO Battle Group, 21SEP2022:

On 29NOV2022, the Ministry of Defense of the Slovak Republic announced that 30 BVP-1s had been sent to Ukraine. Officially it is part of a NATO weapons deal, in which Slovakia would get 15 upgraded Leopard 2A4 battle tanks from Germany.

Cold War to Battle for Ukraine: NATO-ROMÂNIA GARDIENII CERULUI GEPARD

H-A-W-K, HOMING ALL-THE WAY KILLER

NATO Vehicle I-D: BMP AMBULANCE, ROMÂNIA STYLE

Vehicle I-D: GEORGIAN T-72 & BMP

International, Technology

Vehicle I-D: Armenian Armor Հայկական զրահ

Video December 22, 2022 Hutchins AAron

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Armenia joined NATO’s North Atlantic Cooperation Council in 1992, joining NATO’s Partnership for Peace program in 1994. But, it was not until 2015 that Armenia was officially certified to take part in NATO ‘peacekeeping’ operations.

Incomplete list of armored ground vehicles.

BMP-1:

Armenia Defense Ministry photo, 03APR2020.

BMP-2:

Armenia Defense Ministry photo, 24SEP2020.

M939, 5-tons truck with armored cab:

Mostly silent U.S. Army video from May 2006, Armenian military Engineers operating out of Camp Delta, Iraq, using armored cab M939s:

MTLB 9K35 Strela-10:

Armenia Defense Ministry photo, 21MAY2020.

T-55:

Armenia Defense Ministry photo, 08DEC2021.

Armenia Defense Ministry photo, 22SEP2020.

T-55 and T-72, 25JUN2020.

T-72:

Armenia Defense Ministry photo, 07AUG2021.

Armenia Defense Ministry photo, 27MAY2021.

Armenia Defense Ministry photo, 14MAY2021.

Armenia Defense Ministry photo, 04MAY2021.

Armenia Defense Ministry photo, 15SEP2020.

Armenia Defense Ministry photo, 22JUN2020.

Armenia Defense Ministry photo, 22MAY2020.

Armenia Defense Ministry photo, 04AUG2019.

Armenia Defense Ministry photo, 06AUG2018.

TOS-1A:

Armenia Defense Ministry photo, 17DEC2021.

ZSU-23-4:

Captured by Azerbaijan, December 2020.

Vehicle I-D: EGYPTIAN ARMOR درع المصري

SOVIET ERA ARMOR USED BY NATO BULGARIA, PLUS THE BULGARIAN BMP-23

International

World War 3: Russia digs in, flies old Soviet flag! Deploying its newest weapon systems into Donbas/Kiev Ukraine!

Video March 9, 2022 Hutchins AAron

T-72B3 flying the old flag of the U.S.S.R.! Near the village of Rybinskoye. Notice this vehicle is marked with an ‘O’.

Perhaps because of the capture of documents revealing a massive offensive against Russia, Russia is now flooding the Donbas and Kiev Areas of Operations (AO) with more and newer military equipment. What I found interesting is that one of the videos shows Russian BMP-2s carrying old Soviet Union flags!

This ‘V’ marked tank is the latest T-90M.

I think the ‘V’ indicates Kiev AO. Posted 09MAR2022, masses of BMP-2s, T-72B3s, BM-21 Grads, 2S3s:

‘V’ marked T-72B3.

Posted 07MAR2022, ‘V’ marked support vehicles pour into Kiev AO, Ukraine:

Posted on 06MAR2022, ‘V’ marked BMD-2s, T-72s, MTLBs:

‘V’ marked T-90M and BMP-2:

In the Donbas AO, ‘Z’ marked newer military gear is coming in. I think the ‘Z’ is from a new Russo-Ukrainian word ZaНАШИХ, or За НАШИХ (ZaNASHIKH), which means For Ours. This is a way of saying the Donbas area is Russian. It could also mean For Victory, which is Зa ПОБЕДУ, or ZaПОБЕДУ (ZaPOBEDU).

Armored train.

An Armored train was used to evacuate foreign civilians from Kherson Oblast of Ukraine to the city of Armyansk of the Republic of Crimea. The ‘silly-vilians’ are from Turkey, Ukraine, Egypt, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Sweden, Italy, Brazil, Morocco and India.

BM-27 rocket launcher.

Donbas AO. Posted 08MAR2022, 2S19-M2 Msta-S and 2B26 (‘grad’ rockets on a Kamaz 5350 truck?):

‘Z’ marked Kamov 52 double rotary wing gunship in action, posted 09MAR2022:

World War 3: RUSSIA HAS PROOF BIDEN/NATO/UKRAINE PLANS TO ATTACK RUSSIA! PLANS ARE DATED JANUARY 2022!

WAR IN UKRAINE TO START IN MARCH? U.S. ARMY OFFERS BIG BONUS TO RECRUITS WHO CAN SHIP-OUT QUICK! IT’S ALL ABOUT THE GAS!

International, Technology

Ukraine Battle Damage 2022: Armor, abandoned or destroyed

Video March 6, 2022 Hutchins AAron

Armored vehicle destruction from the end of February 2022 to 06MAR2022.

An abandoned British made Saxon armored car, that was being used as an ambulance by Ukrainians.

Ukrainian Azov militia T-72.

T-64 or T-72?

BTR-3DA, Kharkov Oblast.

Abandoned BTR-70.

BTR-80.

Destroyed BRDM-2, abandoned BTR-80.

BRDM-2.

Video of destroyed Donbas militia (indicated by the ‘Z’ on the hull skirts) T-64BV (which was probably captured from Ukrainian forces):

T-64BV, the identifier is the small steel rimmed road wheels.

What’s left of two Ukrainian T-64BV, near Volnovakha.

T-64BV turret, near Volnovakha.

The T-64BV turret ring seems to be suspended in mid-air.

T-64BV burns in the city of Melitopol.

Smoldering BMP.

BMP-1.

Near Volnovakha, Ukrainian BMP-1Ksh.

What’s left of a BMP(?) in the Mykolaiv/Nikolaev Oblast.

Abandoned BMP-1 near the village of Bogdanovka.

Video of abandoned trucks near Kherson:

A dead Ural truck with likewise human cargo in the bed.

BTR-80, the ‘digital’ camo is typical of that used on Ukrainian vehicles.

Video, abandoned Ukrainian BMP-2 getting stripped of weapons by the Donbas militias:

Burning 9K33 (NATO reporting name Gekko) anti-aircraft missile launcher on Ukraine’s Korotych air base.

Ukrainian 9K33 (Gekko).

Near Severodonetsk, Ukrainian T-72.

Abandoned Ukrainian BTR-60.

Video, abandoned Ukrainian BRDM-2 in the city of Shchastya:

Near Volnovakha, Ukrainian BRDM with 9P148 antitank missile launchers, looks like they fired-off three of the missiles before abandoning the vehicle.

Video, burning Ukrainian BTR-4E:

Burned-out BTR-4E, abandoned Kozak-2 armored car.

World War 3: UKRAINE ABANDONS THEIR BTR-4ES WITHOUT A FIGHT!

Battle Damage: IRAQ 2003

Vehicle I-D: Ukraine’s BTR-3DA

International, Technology

Vehicle I-D: More abandoned vehicles, more ‘V’s & ‘Z’s, white/red arm bands, and Hinds with invasion stripes?

Video March 5, 2022 Hutchins AAron

Russian Defense Ministry video, posted 05MAR2022, showing an abandoned Ukrainian army camp near the village of Radensk, Kherson Oblast. The capturing force vehicles are marked with ‘Z‘ indicating Donbas Area of Operation (AO). The troops are wearing white arm bands on their left arms. The intact Ukrainian vehicles now in the hands of the Donbas are BMP-1s, BTRs, BRDMS and T-64BV, plus crates and crates of various ammo:

Video report posted on 05MAR2022, the liberation of the town of Trekhizbenka by Russians who are wearing white bands on their left arms and Russian ‘liberation’ armbands on their right shoulder. Some soldiers are wearing white bands around their right leg. Video shows packages of 12.7mm ammo and RPG rounds left behind by Ukrainians. Villagers tell the reporter the Ukrainians took military control of their town in 2014. It appears the Ukrainians gave-up the town without a fight:

Yet another abandoned Ukrainian BTR-4E, along the Kharkiv-Poltava highway, 04MAR2022.

Video posted 04MAR2022, Russian vehicles (BTRs, BMP-1, 2S3 SP guns) marked with ‘V‘ indicating Kiev AO (apparently near the cities of Bucha, Gostomel [Hostomel?] and Irpin’):

A Donetsk militiaman (indicated by his red arm band) with a NATO Javelin antitank missile, abandoned by retreating Ukrainians, 04MAR2022.

Video posted 03MAR2022, ‘Z‘ marked Donbas AO 2S1 self propelled artillery guns:

‘Z’ marked 2S1.

Invasion stripes? This Hind rotary wing gunship is marked with a ‘Z’, indicating Donbas AO.

This video, posted 01MAR2022, shows Donetsk militia (Donbas AO) wearing red bands on their left arms, their vehicles are marked with ‘Z‘ and some have red cloth tied to them. They have just overran a Ukrainian checkpoint, which includes an abandoned T-64BV:

Vehicle I-D: WHAT HAPPENS WHEN BOTH SIDES USE THE SAME WEAPONS? Operational markings of Russia/Donbas militias.

International, Technology

Vehicle I-D: What happens when both sides use the same weapons?

Video March 4, 2022 Hutchins AAron

Ukraine is the birthplace of Russia. Today’s larger Russia expanded out of Ukraine. In the 20th Century the new Union of Soviet Socialist Republics allowed the creation of a separate Soviet Republic of Ukraine. It was during the time of the Soviet Union that Ukraine became a major manufacturer of weapon systems for the U.S.S.R. In 1991, Ukraine lead the collapse of the Soviet Union by declaring independence. Then there was the creation of the European Union (EU). Both the EU and NATO have been actively involved in ‘behind-the-scenes’ influence of the Ukrainian government, for decades now. Despite that, even today Russia and Ukraine use the same type of major weapon systems. How do you tell them apart during combat?

This T-64BV is not marked, but carries large Russian and Donbas militia flags.

Russia has obviously thought about that because their ground vehicles, along with the military ground vehicles of Donetsk Republic and Lugansk (Luhansk) Republic have been given unique operational markings. They look like Latin alphabet letters but are not. They also indicate the Area of Operation (AO); North in Kiev Oblast, or South in Donbas.

Video from the end of February 2022, Donbas-Lugansk Republic militia and their trucks, BMP-1s and 2S1 SP Guns, all marked with ‘Z’, waiting for orders to move-out:

Somewhere in Donbas.

In the Southern, Donbas area of operation (AO), Russian, Lugansk and Donetsk tracked and wheeled vehicles are marked with a ‘Z’.

Ukrainian made KrAZ armored car, in use by local Donbas forces.

Video of Russians meeting with Lugansk Republic troops, 03MAR2022:

T-64BV somewhere in Donbas.

Video report, posted on 03MAR2022, Ukrainian Ground Forces abandoned a T-64BV, Lugansk Republic forces quickly claimed it by spraying ‘Z‘ symbols on it, and working to repair it for their own use (it was one of two abandoned T-64BVs, the video also shows an abandoned BRDM-2):

Abandoned Ukrainian T-64BV, now in the hands of the Donbas militias as indicated by the ‘Z’ painted on the skirts.

In the Northern Kiev Oblast AO the vehicles are marked with a ‘V’. Video of ‘V‘ marked Russian BMPs, BRTs and T-72B3s entering the Kiev Oblast of Ukraine from Belarus, the road sign gives the location away as the Gomel (Homiel) Oblast, Belarus-Kiev Oblast, Ukraine border crossing (heading towards Chernobyl Exclusion Zone?), 03MAR2022:

When you see a Western news report about Russian activities, if they are talking about Kiev AO (Area of Operation), but the images show vehicles with ‘Z‘ on them then the images are actually from the Donbas AO.

New Cold War 2022: RUSSIAN T-72B3M LIVE FIRE CRIMEA!

UKRAINE ABANDONS THEIR BTR-4ES WITHOUT A FIGHT!

Vehicle I-D:

2S1, FROM COLD WAR TO UKRAINIAN BORDER CRISIS!

International

New Cold War: Exercise Union Courage officially begins

Video February 10, 2022 Hutchins AAron

On 10FEB2022, the join Russian-Belarusian wargame known as Union Courage 2022 ‘officially’ began (many activities had been taking place earlier).

Russian Defense Ministry video released on 10FEB2022:

Combat exercises will be carried out at the Domanovsky, Gozhsky, Obuz-Lesnovsky, Brestsky and Osipovichi areas of Belarus. They are expected to last until 20FEB2022. Officials say the wargame complies with the Vienna Document of 2011.

New Cold War: BOMBERS & FIGHTERS IN THE SKY OVER BELARUS, ‘BOMBIN’ BREAD FOR THE TROOPS!

International

New Cold War 2022: Russia deploys to Belarus, preps for invasion by NATO!

Video January 30, 2022 Hutchins AAron

“So will there be a war or not? Yes, there will be, but only in two cases: if Belarus suffers a direct aggression, if a hot war is unleashed against our Belarus. We will stand united as one – even those who don’t want to – to defend our land and our homeland. And the second possibility, when a war may happen and Belarus will take part in it: if our ally Russia suffers a direct attack, if such aggression is committed against the Russian Federation. The grounds for that are our allied agreements.”-Alexander Lukashenko, President of Belarus, quoted by TASS Russian News Agency

A BMP based engineer vehicle disembarks a rail-car in Belarus, 19JAN2022. Photo via Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

Since 19JAN2022, Russian forces (Eastern Military District ground and air units, and Pacific Fleet ground units) began arriving in the Republic of Belarus, which is just north of Ukraine. The official reason is to ‘inspect’ Belarusian forces for readiness, which is expected to take until the end of February. Russian officials say it is in compliance with the Vienna Document of 2011.

Russian Defense Ministry video of BMP-2, trucks, BMP engineer vehicle being off-loaded in Belarus, 19JAN2022:

Part of the ‘inspection’ will include a wargame called Union Courage 2022, conducted from February 10th to 20th. The premise of the wargame is an invasion by U.S./NATO.

S-400 anti-aircraft system. Photo via Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

On 21JAN2022, Russia’s Eastern Military District announced that two divisions of S-400 Triumph anti-aircraft systems were on their way to Belarus. The S-400 system consists of several types of vehicles. Video of load-up on rail-cars: