The war in Ukraine has been going on for a long time and now the Russians are said to have used a new weapon in the war-torn country.
It claims the state-owned Russian news agency Ria.
The weapon in question is the BMPT tank, which goes by the nickname “Terminator”. The tank has previously been used during Russian combat operations in Syria.
Several variants
The nickname comes from the large and complex weapon system that sits on the tank.
The weapon system will consist of two cannons, four laser-guided anti-tank missiles, two grenade launchers and a machine gun.
It is not known how many such tanks the Russians have available, nor is it known how many of these will be sent to Ukraine.
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According to the subject website Military Today the tank must have been manufactured since 2015, before it was declared a combat operative in 2018. Another version of the tank has also appeared, which goes by the name «Terminator 2». The difference between the two variants should be that the latter version has a new, unmanned weapon tower.
SHOWN: Here, the “Terminator” is shown as one of several vehicles at the Russians’ May 9 parade in 2018. Photo: Pavel Golovkin / AP / NTB
sea view
– Specially built
The head teacher and head of the section for land power at the War School, Lieutenant Colonel Palle Ydstebø, tells Dagbladet that “Terminator” is a support vehicle specially built to fight infantry that attacks the tanks from a short distance.
– It is a supplement to ordinary storm tanks, which lack firepower and protection to handle enemy infantry in confusing terrain and cities.
He also says that all weapons can be used to fight targets in mountain slopes or buildings. According to Ydstebø, the missiles will have a range of six kilometers.
STRANGE: Lieutenant Colonel Palle Ydstebø at the War School wonders why the tank has not been used before. Photo: The Armed Forces
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Surprised
The lieutenant colonel believes the measure means that the Russians have realized that their tanks are vulnerable to the Ukrainian infantry that will operate in confusing terrain or inside cities.
– Even though the vehicle has anti-tank capacity with the anti-tank missiles, it is therefore tailored to protect tanks against infantry attacks from relatively short range.
He is also surprised that this tank was not deployed earlier in the war.
– It’s really strange they have not deployed it before, since they have had problems with Ukrainian infantry attacking tanks, and everything else that rolls, since the war started.
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