KYIV, UKRAINE — Russia’s new “Terminator” machines have been spotted near the Ukraine border.

The Drive reports that some of Russia’s brand new BMPT-72 armored fighting vehicles have been spotted near the Ukrainian border at the start of the Russian invasion.

Nicknamed the Terminator 2, the BMPT-72 is designed to support tanks, not carry troops. For this purpose it features four anti-tank missiles and two automatic cannons.

One of the cannons fires high-explosive rounds that have a wider kill zone, while the other fires armor-piercing rounds that can penetrate thin armor and walls.

The original model also featured two frontal grenade launchers, which can unleash a deadly storm of shrapnel against infantry at any range.

Most of the new models do not have such launchers, although some new models have been photographed with them.

The BMPT-72 is designed to protect heavy tanks in urban terrain.

Its fast-moving turret can lift its machine guns at high angles to hit targets high up in buildings.

The idea is that the BMPT-72 would suppress infantry targets like Javelin missile teams, while the tanks use their big guns to blow away walls and engage other tanks.

The number of BMPT-72s in the Russian arsenal is a tightly guarded secret, but some analysts think Russia currently only has around a dozen of them. This would explain why none have been spotted inside Ukraine, so far.

The war in Ukraine has been very costly for Russia, with a lot of Russian APCs and tanks having been destroyed, abandoned or left behind after getting stuck in thick mud.

On Thursday, March 24, a Russian landing ship blew up, damaging two other Russian vessels in the occupied Ukrainian port city of Berdyansk.

The Ukrainian military posted footage of the ship blowing up and said the ship had been hit by its forces.

Details of what caused the explosion and fire on board the ship are unclear.

SOURCES: The Drive, Janes Defense News
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone...
https://www.janes.com/defence-news/ne...