Bradley vehicles strike fear in russian troops, bolster Ukraine's defence

Ukrainians have a weapon that every soldier of the Russian Federation fears to confront – writes the Newsweek portal, referencing a commander from the 47th Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian armed forces. It’s the American Bradley, which has repeatedly saved the lives of Ukrainians and also eliminated theoretically superior vehicles.

The American infantry fighting vehicle is once again highly regarded by Ukrainians. They can't stop praising the vehicle, which Russian soldiers avoid at all costs. Despite the belief that they are battling "exhausted forces of Kyiv," the army of the aggressor consistently steers clear of Bradley fighting vehicles, according to Newsweek.

"The Russians know what the Bradley is. They don't want to face this machine head-on. I wouldn't want to be in their shoes either," said the commander of the 47th Mechanized Brigade, which has American Bradley vehicles and M1 Abrams tanks in its arsenal. Meanwhile, Ukrainians point out that the Russians are very intensively hunting these infantry fighting vehicles.

Defenders explain that Russian artillery systems "always try to find the Bradley", but kamikaze drones are also a significant problem. "There are more and more of them, and the enemy is very dynamically mastering the terrain," said the soldier. Drones and artillery are essentially the only solutions the Russian Federation can effectively use to destroy the Bradley. In close combat, "Russian soldiers are afraid to start operations when they see that the Bradley will be against them."

According to Pentagon documents, the United States has delivered over 300 Bradley vehicles to Ukraine and four support vehicles. These armoured beasts from the USA have proven their effectiveness in the past and confirmed their near indestructibility, including during a duel with one of Russia’s best tanks, the T-90M Proryv. The M2 Bradley also withstood fire from the BM-21 Grad launcher and the T-72 tank and did not stop even after hitting a mine. It’s also worth mentioning the heroic rescue mission where the vehicle saved allies from Russian armed forces’ fire.

The Bradley's praised durability is due to its armour made from a combination of steel, aluminium, and composites. The exact composition varies depending on the vehicle version and the specific deployment area. Offensive capabilities are guaranteed by the M242 Bushmaster 25 mm cannon, accompanied by a 7.62 mm machine gun. This combination is effective enough to eliminate even heavily armoured units, including tanks.

The Bradley's armour and armament make it one of the best vehicles of its kind in the world. Additionally, this American design is highly mobile, thanks to a power unit with an output of 500 or 600 horsepower (depending on the year of production), accelerating the vehicle to a maximum speed of 43 mph on land and up to 6 mph in water.