Russia has introduced a new light armored vehicle known as the “Legioner”, developed by the company Russkiye Boyevyye Mashiny (RBM).
The 4×4 platform is intended to bridge the gap between unarmored military vehicles and heavier armored personnel carriers such as the BTR-82A, combining improved mobility, basic protection, and versatility in a compact design.
The Legioner’s appearance recalls the Soviet-era BTR-40 and BTR-152 armored personnel carriers — vehicles once widely used by Soviet forces and their allies — but incorporates modern functionality and updated performance to meet current operational needs. Its developers describe it as a multipurpose platform that can serve a wide range of logistical and support roles on the battlefield.
The Legioner was designed to address a capability gap identified by Russian ground units operating in Ukraine and other conflict zones. Russia’s current fleet relies heavily on either civilian-style trucks with minimal protection or fully armored personnel carriers like the BTR-82A. The Legioner aims to sit between these two extremes — providing mobility and payload capacity while still offering basic ballistic protection for personnel and cargo.
The vehicle is built on a 4×4 chassis with an armored cab and an open cargo platform. This rear section can be used for transporting supplies, carrying troops in non-combat roles, or mounting a turret with a machine gun for defensive purposes.
Weighing approximately 6.5 tons, the Legioner has a payload capacity of 2.5 tons, enabling it to transport equipment, ammunition, or other supplies close to the front line. A YaMZ-234 diesel engine rated at 200 horsepower powers the vehicle, providing a top speed of 100 km/h. Its operational range of 750 kilometers allows for extended missions without frequent refueling, a feature intended to improve sustainment in dispersed or fluid combat operations.
The open rear platform offers flexibility but also reveals the design philosophy behind the Legioner: it is not meant to replace fully protected infantry carriers but to support them by handling transport and utility tasks where heavy armor is unnecessary. Its lighter weight and higher speed compared to traditional APCs are aimed at improving operational tempo in dynamic environments.