Virtually none of Russia’s armored platforms have performed well in Ukraine. That includes Russia’s infantry fighting vehicles. However, its BMPT “Terminator” has reportedly been somewhat more effective. Its mission is clear: win on the battlefield--at all costs. 

Tanks and large fighting vehicles like Russia’s BMPT Terminator have proven in Ukraine that they are still relevant. These mobile machines protect firepower and troops and can bring weapons forward to engage enemy positions. But these platforms have paid a heavy price during fighting. Even Moscow’s most sophisticated main battle tanks like the T-90M have fared poorly in Ukraine. The Terminator, however, appears to be more survivable than most.

An Overview of the BMPT Terminator

Russia’s BMPT (Tank Support Fighting Vehicle) is built on the chassis of the Soviet-era T-72 MBT. The concept behind the vehicle dates back to the Soviet-Afghan War. The USSR’s existing infantry vehicles – notably the BMP-1 and BMP-2 – struggled in infantry fighting. To rectify this shortcoming, the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant began developing a new concept. The resulting BMPT would be deployed alongside the country’s battle tanks in urban warfare environments. 

The Russian military officially debuted the BMPT Terminator during the 2013 Russian Arms Expo defense exhibition.

The BMPT is fitted with two 30 mm 2A42 automatic cannons that can load four laser-guided Ataka-T anti-tank missile systems. It also equips a PKTM coaxial machine gun and a total ammunition load of 850 rounds. Some versions of the Terminator also sport a pair of 30 mm automatic grenade launchers that are controlled by gunners, according to a Forbes report. With this autocannon, the BMPT can reach targets at a top range of 2,000 meters, while the Ataka missile can hit from as far as 6,000 meters away. 

These capabilities make the Terminator an effective tool for engaging Ukraine’s unmanned aerial vehicles, which have notoriously caused a lot of damage to Moscow’s battle tanks. In terms of protective measures, the Terminator is equipped with modular Explosive Reactive Armor and smoke grenade launchers that can create a smoke screen to hide the vehicle from enemy troops. Additionally, the BMPT is fitted with a Nuclear, Biological and Chemical protection system. 

The BMPT Terminator in Ukraine

While the Terminator is certainly more useful to Russian forces than the World War II relics and Soviet-era tanks Moscow has deployed to the frontlines, the BMPT is not invincible.

Moscow lost its first of these fighting vehicles last February in a precision artillery strike in Eastern Ukraine. In August, Ukraine’s special forces published footage showing an attack on another Terminator in the country’s Donetsk Oblast. According to Kyiv, a swarm of small lethal drones was responsible for the attack.

It is not clear, however, whether the BMPT was irreparably damaged. 

Despite Ukraine’s successful assaults against some of Moscow’s BMPTs, the Terminator has shown great promise on the frontlines.

About the Author: Maya Carlin

Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin.