Russia’s state defense conglomerate Rostec has delivered a new batch of BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles to the Russian Ministry of Defense, equipped with upgraded modular armor and electronic warfare systems.
The announcement was made by the corporation’s industrial director for its weapons cluster, Bekhan Ozdoev, who also confirmed the handover of overhauled BMD-2 airborne vehicles featuring modernized components.
According to a statement from Rostec, the delivery included BMP-3s outfitted with full sets of enhanced protection. The vehicles are now equipped with slat armor, side armor panels, and additional shielding for the upper hemisphere—an area vulnerable to loitering munitions and drone-dropped explosives.
Each vehicle also received the “Nakidka” camouflage kit designed to reduce thermal and radar signatures, as well as integrated electronic countermeasures to disrupt enemy targeting systems.
The vehicles were supplied by High Precision Systems, a holding company within Rostec that oversees production of a wide range of armored platforms and weapon systems. The company said that production continues around the clock at several defense plants across Russia.
“Production of armored vehicles at Rostec’s facilities is ongoing around the clock. Our staff continues to modernize combat vehicles based on lessons learned from their use in the area of the special military operation,” said Ozdoev, who also serves on the board of the Russian Union of Mechanical Engineers.
In the same statement, Ozdoev claimed Russian crews value the BMP and BMD platforms for their mobility, firepower, and relative ease of operation under difficult battlefield conditions. The BMP-3, introduced into Soviet service in the late 1980s, remains in serial production and has undergone multiple rounds of upgrades in recent years.
While specific quantities were not disclosed, the new batch adds to a growing fleet of refurbished and modernized vehicles reportedly being pushed to the front. The accompanying BMD-2 airborne vehicles were delivered following major overhaul and partial modernization, although no details were provided on which components had been upgraded.
The BMP-3’s new defensive suite appears tailored for the evolving threat environment in Ukraine, where infantry fighting vehicles have come under persistent attack from drones and precision-guided munitions. The addition of slat armor and upper-hull protection reflects wider Russian attempts to mitigate losses from top-attack threats, a vulnerability that has been widely documented on both sides of the conflict.
The “Nakidka” camouflage system, previously seen on tanks and command vehicles, is designed to obscure visual, infrared, and radar signatures. Its inclusion on frontline BMPs suggests an effort to reduce the platform’s detectability during drone surveillance and targeting operations.
The BMP-3 remains one of the most heavily armed infantry fighting vehicles in service worldwide, with a 100mm main gun, coaxial 30mm cannon, and 7.62mm machine gun. Its continued adaptation for the war in Ukraine highlights the evolving nature of ground combat and the challenges facing mechanized forces in contested environments.