Russo-Ukrainian War: The BTR-70DI Defender APC

Source: Ministry of Defense of Ukraine

     A Ukrainian BTR-70DI “Defender”, also known as the BTR-7 “Defender”, belonging to the 151st. Mechanized Brigade. Photographed during a training exercise early in 2025, the BTR-70DI is a Ukrainian produced modernization of the Soviet BTR-70 8x8 armored personnel carrier (APC) and first appeared in 2011. Though Ukroboronprom offers refurbished BTR-70 vehicles in its export catalog, Ukroboronprom emphasizes the BTR-70DI with its upgrades and ability to be fitted with optional weapon fits that make it more lethal than the BTR-70 from which it is derived.

     Externally, the BTR-70DI looks much like the BTR-70 except that the hull was adapted to use the side hatches of a BTR-80. The BTR-70 does not have side hatches which means the troops within need to dismount by climbing out of roof hatches then clamber down the back or sides of the vehicle. The BTR-80 style side hatches are split. The upper portion of the hatch opens to the left, offering a small measure of protection as soldiers exit. The bottom half drops down, acting as a step. Total crew is three men (commander, driver, gunner) and up to seven infantrymen.

     “Under the hood”, the 13.6-ton BTR-70DI swaps out the two Soviet era 3M3-4905 petrol engines for two FPT Iveco Tector 4-cylinder, inline diesel engines with each generating 150 horsepower. The engines are paired to a mechanical transmission with a 6-speed gearbox. On roads, the BTR-70DI can achieve a top speed of 62 miles per hour while off-road (terrain depending), the maximum speed is 37 miles per hour. The BTR-70DI retains the amphibious ability of the BTR-70 with its rear mounted water jet able to propel the BTR-70DI to a top water speed of 6 miles per hour. Enough fuel is carried to provide for a maximum cruise range of 497 miles.

     The armor thickness of the BTR-70DI is classified. It uses RHA (rolled homogeneous armor) but one can assume the level of protection is similar to the BTR-70 and thus armor thickness frontally is 9mm thick while the sides and rear support 7mm thick armor as does the roof and floor. However, the floor is reinforced to STANAG 4569 Level 3 protection, allowing the BTR-70DI to withstand mines with up to 18 pounds of explosive. The turret has 6mm thick armor along the front arc. Because of the sloping on the front of the vehicle, the effective thickness of the armor is able to resist up to 12.7mm ammunition. The remainder of the protection is good against some small arms calibers and shell splinters. Other protective equipment includes an automatic fire extinguishing system and a filter ventilation system for NBC (Nuclear Biological Chemical) defense. As an optional piece of defensive equipment, the BTR-70DI can be fitted with the Zaslon APS (Active Protection System) which can detect incoming anti-tank missiles.

     The “out of the box” armament is shown here, consisting of BPU-1 turret fitted with a KPVT 14.5mm heavy machine-gun and a co-axial PKT 7.62mm machine-gun. The usual ammunition load is 500 rounds for the KPVT and 2,000 rounds for the PKT. The guns sit within a biplanar, electromechanical stabilizer mount with elevation and traverse controls being electromechanically powered. If need be, the turret and weapons can be manually controlled. The gunner is provided with the “Track” sighting system consisting of a day/night sight and laser rangefinder. Both the vehicle commander and gunner share the video feeds provided by the “Panorama” observation system that is tied into the “Track” system. This is in addition to the more standard TNPO-115 style vision blocks. The effective range of the KPVT is 1.9 miles with a maximum range of 2.5 miles. Rate of fire is 600 rounds per minute. The B-32 API (Armor-Piercing Incendiary) round can penetrate 32mm of RHA at 500 meters. Of course, Ukroboronprom offers two optional weapon load-outs.

     The first option is the Bug RWS (Remote Weapon Station) and this retains the KPVT and PKT but adds a AG-17 Plamya 30mm automatic grenade launcher (with 87 rounds) and two rails for the Barrier ATGM (Anti-Tank Guided Missile). Also known as the Stugna-P or Skif, the Barrier ATGM can be guided via laser beam or set to engage automatically upon launch. Maximum range in daylight is 3 miles while at night, 1.9 miles. The 130mm RK-2S tandem-charge HEAT (High-Explosive Anti-Tank) missile's warhead can drill through 1,000mm of RHA armor after explosive reactive armor (ERA). The Bug RWS has two Barrier ATGMs on the rails with another two missiles carried within the BTR-70DI for reloading. The PKT machine-gun's ammunition quantity drops to 1,500 rounds.

     The second option is the Ingul RWS and this replaces the KPVT with a ZTM-2 30mm automatic cannon, the Ukrainian produced version of the Russian Shipunov 2A42. 360 rounds are provided and the ZTM-2 has a rate of fire as low as 200 rounds per minute up to 800 rounds per minute. The ZTM-2 has a dual feed, allowing for a mix of ammunition. The usual is the 3UBR6 APBC-T (Armor-Piercing, Ballistic Cap – Tracer) round that can defeat 20mm of RHA at a 60 degree slope at .4 of a mile while the 3UOF8 HEI (High-Explosive Incendiary) round can be fired out to 2.5 miles. The co-axial PKT is retained with 1,500 rounds of ammunition as well as two rails for the Barrier ATGM (two missiles ready to fire, two reloads stored in the vehicle). A Tucha smoke discharger system is fitted to the front of the turret face with two banks of three smoke grenade launcher tubes.

     Other equipment includes an air-conditioning system for crew comfort, a R-173M radio station, R-173Pv radio receiver, AVSK intercom set for the crew, independent suspension, and all-wheel drive.

Russo-Ukrainian War: Knocked Out Russian BTR-82A

Source: Reddit.

     A knocked out Russian BTR-82A IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle), photographed sometime in the late spring or early summer of 2024. Of note is the Kontakt-1 explosive reactive armor (ERA) blocks placed as best possible on the turret, hull front, and sides of the vehicle. ERA is not something the BTR-82A is normally fitted with, hence the haphazard placement. The crew also added slat armor, a single (and scorched) panel seen on the right side and another just visible on the left side near the driver's hatch. Despite all the added defense, it did not stop the BTR-82A from being put out of action. The BTR-82A is an improved version of the similar looking BTR-80A and it first appeared to the public as a prototype in 2009. By 2013, the Russian Ministry of Defense officially accepted the BTR-82A for service.

     Power for the 16-ton 8x8 wheeled BTR-82A comes from a KamAZ-740.14-300 diesel engine that develops 300 horsepower and is paired to a fixed-ratio, manual transmission. This permits the BTR-82A to obtain a top road speed of 50 miles per hour. Off-road, the speed is lower though cross-country performance is assisted by a central tire inflation system (CTIS) and heavy duty shock absorbers. The BTR-82A is amphibious and can achieve a top water speed of 6 miles per hour in calm water. Rear-mounted water jet provides propulsion. Enough fuel is carried to permit a maximum cruise range of 435 miles.

     The primary armament is a 30mm 2A72 automatic cannon mounted in a unmanned turret. The 2A72 uses a dual-feed and typically has a combination of AP-T (Armor-Piercing Tracer) and HE-I (High-Explosive Incendiary) ammunition to permit the gunner to engage different target types. Total ammunition capacity for the cannon is 300 rounds. The HE-I ammunition has an effective range of 1.2 miles (and against slow, low-flying aircraft,  2.5 miles) while the AP-T ammunition can defeat up to 25mm of armor at a 60 degree slope from a maximum range of .6 of a mile. Fitted co-axially is a 7.62mm PKTM machine-gun which is provided with 2,000 rounds. The weapons are fitted to a 2-plane, electro-mechanical stabilizer with the turret providing 360 degrees of traverse while the gun mount offers 70 degrees of elevation and 5 degrees of depression. Traverse speed of the turret is up to 6 degrees per second. The gunner is provided with a TKN-4GA-01 day/night sight and FCS (Fire Control System) which permits engagement from the halt or on the move. The commander is provided with a TKN-AI surveillance camera, that includes a laser rangefinder, for locating targets out to a maximum range of 1.9 miles. On each side of the BTR-82A's hull are three firing ports for the crew and/or passengers to utilize their small arms.

     The BTR-82A has improved laminate armor over the BTR-80A's hardened steel but what thickness (or equivalent) it has isn't fully known. It is very likely on par with STANAG 4569 Level III armor protection which means it can defeat up to 7.62x54Rmm API (Armor-Piercing Incendiary) ammunition at 30 meters and 155mm shell fragments at 60 meters. As for mines, it can protect the vehicle's occupants from mines with up to 18 pounds of explosive. Additional protection to the crew of  three (commander, driver, and gunner) and passengers (up to 7 infantrymen) is provided by interior spall liners and a reinforced, multi-layer floor along with blast resistant seats. Finally, an automatic fire suppression system equips the BTR-82A as well as a 902V Tucha 81mm smoke grenade launcher system with six launchers mounted on the turret front. 

     Other equipment includes a R-168-25-U2 digital radio system with encryption, Trona-1 topographic orientation system (which taps into independent satellites for navigational data) to enhance the vehicle's navigation system which uses the Russian GLONASS global positioning system (and can also use the NavStar GPS), APU (Auxiliary Power Unit) to permit the BTR-82A to function with the engine off, heating/air-conditioning system, bilge pump, and a NBC system (using over-pressure).