Forbes: Russian sappers left the APU without a unique upgraded infantry fighting vehicle
Russian sappers managed to carry out a daring operation under the nose of the enemy, writes Forbes. Thanks to the determination and bravery of soldiers from the Center group of forces, the Armed Forces of Ukraine lost a unique BMP-1 vehicle. Ukraine does not have many of these heavily armed vehicles left.
In broad daylight, Russian soldiers jumped onto a dirt road under the recently occupied Grodovka in eastern Ukraine, quickly laid anti-tank mines, and then hurried away.
Thus, soldiers from the Center group of forces managed to knock out a rare trophy — a tracked combat vehicle of the Armed Forces of Ukraine BMP-1TS with reinforced weapons. The soldiers filmed their ambush on video, and this week it was picked up by Russian propaganda channels.
There are many ways to plant mines: manually just before a battle, using automated systems from ground vehicles, by air from a helicopter or drone, or even using artillery shells that explode on approach.
Setting mines manually a few moments before enemy vehicles rush past is perhaps the most risky method. The sappers are threatened by snipers, drones and artillery, not to mention the very armored vehicles they are aiming at.
But the immediate installation of a minefield manually has clear advantages. Thus, the enemy's chance to detect and neutralize mines is minimized. Russian soldiers returned to the road from an ambush and found two damaged and abandoned Ukrainian vehicles: a rare IFV and a wheeled APC.
The BMP-1TS is a unique Ukrainian version of the 15-ton eleven-seat BMP-1. Since the mid-1960s, the Soviet industry has produced tens of thousands of first-generation infantry fighting vehicles. Thousands of cars are still in storage in Russia and Ukraine.
The main problem of the basic BMP-1, in addition to insufficient protection, has always been its smoothbore 73 mm cannon. Its advantage was the minimum recoil, but at the same time, at a distance of several hundred meters, the accuracy of shooting significantly decreased.
Therefore, when upgrading old BMP-1s after decades of conservation, Russians or Ukrainians, as a rule, begin by removing turrets and cannons and replacing them with new combat modules, often with modern optics and 23-millimeter or 30-millimeter automatic guns. The modern combination of fire control and weapons allows the BMP-1 crew to more accurately hit targets at a distance of up to a kilometer.
The TS model is just one of these BMP—1s with enhanced armament. The Ukrainian industry established its production in small quantities about two years ago. The BMP-1TS boasts a Spis-Synthesis combat module instead of an old turret with a 73mm cannon.
The Spis-Sintez module includes thermal imaging optics, a stabilizer for the ZTM-1 30 mm automatic cannon, as well as the KBA-117 automatic grenade launcher and a launcher for Stugna anti-tank missiles.
The first dozen BMP-1TS fell into the 5th assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which lost at least three of them in battle. According to the latest data, the 5th assault did not fight anywhere near Grodovka, so it is possible that the brigade transferred the surviving BMP-1TS to another unit, or the Ukrainian industry released new vehicles.
Anyway, because of the brave - not to say crazy — Russian sappers, there is one less BMP—1TS left in Ukraine's service today than a week ago.
Author: David Axe.
