Ukrainian ambush dismantles Russian convoy with precision strikes
In the Kursk region, Russian forces are conducting a counteroffensive to drive Ukrainian troops out of their territory. Here, we present the details of the destruction of a Russian convoy by Ukrainian troops near the village of Lubimovka.
The Russians have managed to wedge themselves between Ukrainian positions near the village of Zelenyj Szlyak. However, Ukrainians, who still control the flanks, are inflicting significant losses on Russian units headed to support the spearhead.
One notable example is a successful ambush on a Russian convoy near the village of Lubimovka, which resulted in the destruction of several Russian vehicles. Interestingly, footage showing the wrecks of armoured infantry fighting vehicles (BMP) BMP-2s and a BTR-82A armoured personnel carrier was initially intended to be used by Russian propagandists, who published it suggesting the destruction of a Ukrainian BMP M2A2 Bradley. The material was quickly removed. It is unclear what was used in the attack, but it is likely that Ukrainians employed a swarm of FPV drones and possibly a concealed M2A2 Bradley or another BMP.
BMP-2/3 - poorly armoured relics from the USSR era
The Russians mainly rely on the BMP-2/3 family and even older BMP-1s, which have been extensively refurbished recently. The BMP-2 is a design from the 1980s, a modernization of the BMP-1, where a 73 mm gun was replaced with a 2A42 30 mm automatic cannon.
This was a much better option for engaging targets such as enemy infantry hidden in rubble or other BMPs. Meanwhile, the 9K113 Konkurs anti-tank guided missile launcher was retained for tank destruction.
The armour remained unchanged and is still very weak due to the BMP-2's weight, approximately 15,000 kg. The front plate is theoretically supposed to withstand 23 mm anti-armour shell hits, although, according to Ukrainians, 20 mm anti-armour shells fired from a Marder 1A3 can penetrate it without issue.
Meanwhile, the vehicle's rear and sides are vulnerable even to an FN FAL rifle loaded with tungsten core armour-piercing ammunition. This does not provide much protection for the three-person crew and seven-person landing party, and the fire control system, except for a few modernized BMP-2M units, lacks a thermal imaging camera.
New vehicles without changes
On the other hand, the BMP-3 is an entirely new design from the late 1980s and early 1990s, based on the chassis of the light amphibious tank Object 685. Despite increasing its weight to 19,000 kg, the BMP-3 offers similar protection to the BMP-2 despite using aluminum armour instead of steel.
This means that even 7.62x51 mm machine guns loaded with armour-piercing ammunition pose a deadly threat to the vehicle's crew. The exception is only vehicles equipped with a dedicated reactive armour package, which provides more excellent protection against, for example, PG-7VL grenades, but such protection increases the weight by over 4,000 kg and prevents swimming.
A distinguishing feature of these vehicles is their powerful firepower in the form of a low-pressure 100 mm cannon capable of firing fragmentation or 9K116 Bastion anti-tank guided missiles. The vehicle is equipped with a 30 mm cannon and a PKT 7.62x54 mm R machine gun.
This makes Ukrainian forces usually target these vehicles first from the column. It's worth noting that in 2023, the Russians began producing the improved version of BMP-3 Manul. These are dangerous machines, yet they are very vulnerable to destruction.
