Russian claims of destroying Ukrainian AMX‑10P questioned
The Russians claim to have destroyed an AMX-10P armoured vehicle in the Kursk region. The most intriguing aspect of this incident is that the Ukrainian army does not possess such equipment, leading to further uncertainties.
The Russian National Guard reported the destruction of the AMX-10P, a French armoured vehicle that replaced the older AMX VCI. According to the Defence UA portal, the Russians allegedly used a drone for this attack, which supposedly occurred in the Kursk area.
Does Ukraine even have the AMX-10P?
The grand declaration by Russian forces caused quite a stir. Moreover, materials were published and disseminated by the Russian news agency TASS. However, the claim of destroying a Ukrainian-owned AMX-10P has inconsistencies.
Firstly, the Ukrainian forces do not officially possess such vehicles. France has never confirmed delivering these armoured vehicles to Ukraine. Unofficial reports from February 2023 suggested that a batch of potential vehicles (at least 10) might be transferred, but these reports were never confirmed through official channels.
It might have been another vehicle
An analysis by the French portal Opex360 points to visual inconsistencies. The AMX-10P is distinguished by its angular hull and features a rear ramp, whereas the vehicle in the Russian film material has a more rounded body and a large hatch on the right side, which does not match the design of the AMX-10P.
The portal speculates that the Russians may have indeed disabled Western equipment, specifically the Swedish armoured personnel carrier Pansarbandvagn 302 (PVB 302). Here are the characteristics of the PVB 302:
- The PVB 302 requires a 3-person crew and can transport 8 to 10 soldiers
- The vehicle reaches a maximum speed of just under 70 km/h
- The estimated range is approximately 300 km
- Its armament includes a 20 mm Hispano-Suiza Type 804 cannon;
- A 7.62 mm Ksp 58 machine gun;
- And a smoke grenade launcher.
