A video has surfaced on social media showcasing a rare armored vehicle designated BTR-T, based on the T-64 tank, although the time and location of the footage remain undisclosed. The first reports of the BTR-T's presence in the Armed Forces of Ukraine emerged in the spring of 2023, leading to expectations that such vehicles would become commonplace in our military.
However, two years have passed since then, during which the aforementioned BTR-T has essentially "remained hidden" in public sources. This indicates the primary challenge associated with this vehicle is not its specifications, but rather the ability to mass-produce it under current conditions.
To begin with, let's briefly recap the timeline. The heavy BTR based on the T-64 first appeared in the Armed Forces of Ukraine in April 2023 during the battles for Bakhmut.
The images available on social media at that time suggested that the design of this vehicle had not undergone significant changes during its manufacture. It was equipped with a 12.7 mm NSVT machine gun mounted on a remotely controlled platform, and its protection was enhanced with "Kontakt-1" blocks. The capacity of the troop compartment was not disclosed.
Following that, in May 2023, a video appeared on the Motolife channel, which revealed that this vehicle is designated BTR-T, was manufactured at the factory, and was intended for "last mile delivery," meaning it was designed to transport troops directly to the front lines amid intense combat.
However, after this, there have been no further public mentions of the BTR-T available to the public. Although the subsequent developments on the battlefield of the Russo-Ukrainian War emphasized the relevance of such heavy armored vehicles for our defenders: the dominance of drones in combat created a constant threat not only for armored vehicles but also for infantry, which would certainly benefit from additional "armor."
Moreover, considering the ongoing battles in the Kursk region and their maneuverable nature, heavy armored personnel carriers on tank chassis could be extremely relevant in significant numbers in that area.
However, against this backdrop, we can suggest that the main challenge with the domestic BTR-T lies in ensuring an appropriate level of mass production. The original vehicle of this type was manufactured based on the T-64, and it is likely that it was not possible to fully restore those damaged in combat, while there may simply not be enough suitable tank chassis available for additional BTR-T production.
Nevertheless, all the above serves as a reminder of the continued relevance of heavy armored vehicles based on Soviet models and/or the "Warsaw Pact" standards for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.