Russian forces are reportedly sending modified troop carriers to Ukraine. The vehicles are equipped with obsolete cannons that were previously used on ships.
A year after the start of the Russian offensive in Ukraine, Moscow’s armed forces seem to be stuck in a serious material crisis. As the US magazine “Forbes” reports, Russia is now equipping old MT-LB troop carriers with around 80-year-old turrets that were originally built for patrol boats.
According to the report, Ukrainian soldiers captured such a converted MT-LB for the first time in early February near Wuhledar in the Donetsk region. The troop carrier abandoned by the Russians reportedly had a 2M-7 gun that entered service with the Red Army in 1945. These are two 14.5mm machine guns behind a steel shield to provide cover for the gunner.
At the beginning of March, pictures of several MT-LBs with a 2M-3 cannon including a turret on the roof were circulating on the internet. The 2M-3 is a pair of stacked 25mm cannons housed in a steel hull. The gun was mass-produced from 1950 to 1984 and installed as an anti-aircraft gun in more than 30 ship classes.
According to “Forbes”, the Ukrainians are also modifying old MT-LBs, for example by equipping them with 100-millimeter MT-12 anti-tank guns. The difference between a Russian MT-LB and a Ukrainian MT-LB with an MT-12 is range. The anti-tank gun can fire up to 9,000 meters, while the range of a 2M-3 is no more than 2,700 meters. Because of the shorter range, the Russian MT-LB would have to get closer to the enemy with its 2M-3, which is a great danger due to the thin armor.
Alternatively, the Russian MT-LB could also be used as an anti-aircraft gun, the magazine writes. However, the troop carrier has no radar, which can direct the fire. So the suspicion remains that Russia is converting and using the old vehicles for lack of alternatives. A few days ago, photos showed that the Kremlin was also sending old BTR-50 armored personnel carriers to the front.
