Kathrine Frich
Russia has announced a fresh delivery of infantry fighting vehicles to its armed forces.
But past assessments, including from Russian sources, suggest the platform has notable weaknesses compared with Western counterparts.
Kurganmashzavod, a manufacturer owned by the state-controlled Rostec corporation, said it had handed over a new batch of BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles to the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Based on combat operations
In a company statement cited by Russian media, the vehicles were described as having been updated “based on experience with actual combat operations.”
“We know perfectly well how much the BMP-3 is in demand among soldiers. Rostec’s enterprises are working non-stop and ensuring the rhythmic delivery of modern armored vehicles without slowing down modernization,” the manufacturer said.
The BMP-3 has been a mainstay of Russia’s mechanized units and remains its most advanced infantry fighting vehicle in serial production.
Exposed weaknesses
However, Ukraine’s Unian news agency has reported that combat operations have revealed vulnerabilities in the design, particularly in crew protection.
Weighing around 19 tonnes, the BMP-3 features a hull made primarily of aluminum alloys.
Analysts say that this construction offers limited protection, mainly against artillery fragments and certain small arms fire.
In 2025, extracts from a Russian report comparing the BMP-3 with the US-made M2A2 Bradley were circulated on social media.
The document acknowledged that the American vehicle was more advanced and better protected.
Firepower focus
Despite concerns about survivability, the BMP-3 is equipped with substantial firepower. Its armament includes a 30mm automatic cannon, a machine gun and a 100mm smoothbore gun with an automatic loader.
The 100mm gun can also launch 9K116 Bastion anti-tank guided missiles, giving the vehicle multi-role capabilities on the battlefield.
The latest delivery underlines Moscow’s continued reliance on the BMP-3 platform as the war in Ukraine enters another year.
Sources: Rostec statement, Unian, WP.
