Rome, May 22, 2022 – The name alone is frightening. THAT BMP-T Terminator tank were sighted Donbass. And they would be the last deadly weapon the Russians would use in the war in Ukraine. The British Ministry of Defense claims that the only anti-tank unit deployed by BMP-T support vehicles on the axis of Severodonetsk, the last Ukrainian stronghold in Lugansk. And if the supports work, that means the tanks are in the field too. They also intercepted some videos published in Ukrainian Telegram chats: it seems that in action it is even the BMP-T 72 or the “Terminator 2”, the latest generation of tanks. Putin plays all his cards to end the game in the region. But according to the British 007, the small number of tanks deployed may not be enough to break the bank.
British Secret Service
According to UK intelligence, the presence of the support vehicles “indicates that the Central Group of Russian Forces (CGF) is involved in this attack”. It is the same group that “had previously suffered heavy casualties in a failed attempt to breach eastern Kyiv in the first part of the war,” British intelligence said.
“Russia developed the Terminator after seeing the need to provide special protection to main battle tanks used during the wars in Afghanistan and Chechnya,” Her Majesty’s Services said. The Putins’ move suggests that Severodonetsk “remains one of Russia’s immediate tactical priorities.” But for intelligence agencies “with up to 10 Terminators deployed, they are unlikely to have a significant impact on the operation.”
The Terminators
Developed in the 2000s, the BMP-T is a self-propelled tank unit intended to provide support fire to armored units in combat. They can perform a variety of tasks ranging from destroying forces in semi-protected positions such as those equipped with grenade launchers or anti-tank missiles. You can fight with other tanks or infantry fighting vehicles. And they are capable of acting as an anti-aircraft vehicle. to understand each other You can shoot down a fighter in flight.
Five people usually work in the “Terminators”: commander, commander, gunner and two operators of automatic grenade launchers. The hull structure resembles that of a tank Modified T-72, protected by lateral and frontal reactive armor. The chariot driver positions himself in the front center section: he has a day sight and a TBH-5 that can be used at night in the dark. To complete the equipment, AGS-17D grenade launchers mounted in armored cases are placed next to the commander’s position. And here are the numbers: Each weapon can fire 600 rounds, each equipped with an ARAT MP day/night periscope system and two standard day periscopes.
But not only that: In the turret with two seats there are 2 heavy machine gunners who can fire up to 850 rounds. At the top of the turret is a PKTM machine gun, a 2,100-round muzzle. Finally, on the sides there are four launch tubes for multipurpose anti-tank missiles.