Ukrainian forces ambush and destroy a Russian convoy in Kursk
In the Kursk region, Russian forces are conducting a counteroffensive aimed at driving Ukrainians out of the area. Here, we provide details on how Ukrainians successfully destroyed a Russian convoy near the village of Lubimovka.
Russian troops have positioned themselves between Ukrainian locations near the village of Zelenyj Shlyak. However, the Ukrainians still control the flanks and are causing significant losses to Russian units attempting to support the main push.
A notable example is an effective ambush on a Russian convoy near Lubimovka, resulting in the destruction of numerous Russian vehicles. Interestingly, the footage showing damaged armored infantry fighting vehicles (BMP-2) and a BTR-82A transporter was initially intended for Russian propaganda, suggesting it depicted destroyed Ukrainian BMP M2A2 Bradleys. The material was quickly taken down. It is unclear what was used in the attack, but it is likely that Ukrainians deployed a swarm of FPV drones and possibly a hidden M2A2 Bradley or another BMP.
BMP-2/3 - poorly armored relics from the USSR era
The Russians primarily depend on the BMP-2/3 family and even older BMP-1s, which have undergone refurbishment in recent months. The BMP-2 is a 1980s design that modernized the BMP-1 by replacing the 73 mm gun with a 2A42 30 mm automatic cannon.
This upgrade provided a better option for targeting enemy infantry hidden in rubble or engaging other BMPs. Meanwhile, the 9K113 Konkurs anti-tank guided missile launcher remained for tank destruction.
The armor remained the same and weak due to the BMP-2's weight, around 33,000 pounds. The front plate is theoretically meant to withstand hits from 23 mm anti-armor shells. However, Ukrainians report that 20 mm anti-armor shells fired from a Marder 1A3 can easily penetrate it.
The rear and sides of the vehicle are vulnerable even to an FN FAL rifle loaded with tungsten core armor-piercing ammunition. This offers little protection for the three-person crew and seven-person squad, and the fire control system, aside from a few modernized BMP-2M units, lacks a thermal imaging camera.
New vehicles without changes
On the other hand, the BMP-3 is a new design from the late 1980s and early 1990s based on the chassis of the light amphibious tank Object 685. Despite increasing its weight to 42,000 pounds, the BMP-3 offers similar protection to the BMP-2, even though it uses aluminum armor instead of steel.
This means that even 7.62x51 mm machine guns with armor-piercing ammunition pose a lethal threat to the vehicle's crew. An exception is vehicles equipped with a dedicated reactive armor package providing enhanced protection against, for instance, PG-7VL grenades. However, such protection adds over 9,000 pounds and prevents swimming.
A distinctive feature of these machines is their powerful firepower, including a low-pressure 100 mm cannon capable of firing fragmentation or 9K116 Bastion anti-tank guided missiles. The vehicle is also equipped with a 30 mm cannon and a PKT 7.62x54 mm R machine gun.
This makes Ukrainians typically focus on attacking these vehicles first in the column. It's noteworthy that in 2023, Russians began producing the improved BMP-3 Manul. These are formidable machines, yet very susceptible to destruction.
