Profile
- Type
- Tracked amphibious infantry fighting vehicle
- Origin
- Soviet Union
- Service note
- Entered service in 1980; still in front-line and reserve use with multiple operators
Armored Vehicles
BMP-2
The BMP-2 is a Soviet tracked infantry fighting vehicle that replaced the BMP-1's low-velocity gun with a stabilized 30 mm 2A42 autocannon while retaining an anti-tank missile launcher and amphibious mobility. Its mix of troop carriage, direct fire, and ATGM capability keeps it widely present in post-Soviet armored units, including documented Russian and Ukrainian use during the Russia-Ukraine War.
- Built by
- Kurganmashzavod
- Built in
- Soviet UnionRussia
Service History
- In service
- 1980-present
- Used by
- Russian Armed Forces, Ukrainian Armed Forces
- Wars
- Russia-Ukraine War
Production History
- Designer
- Kurganmashzavod
- Designed
- 1974-1980 development period
- Built by
- Kurganmashzavod
- Built in
- Soviet UnionRussia
- Produced
- 1980 onward, with Soviet and licensed production
- Variants
- BMP-2, BMP-2K, BMP-2D, BMP-2M Berezhok
Specifications
- Crew and passengers
- 3 crew plus 7 troops
- Combat weight
- About 14,000 kg
- Primary armament
- 30 mm 2A42 autocannon with 500 rounds
- Secondary armament
- 7.62 mm PKT coaxial machine gun and roof-mounted AT-4 Spigot or AT-5 Spandrel ATGM launcher
- Engine
- UTD-20 diesel, about 300 hp
- Mobility
- 65 km/h road speed, 7 km/h water speed, about 550 km road range
Conflict Usage
- Russia-Ukraine War
- Side: RussiaUkraine
Both Russian and Ukrainian forces field BMP-2 family infantry fighting vehicles in the Russia-Ukraine War; Oryx has visually documented Russian BMP-2 variants and Ukrainian BMP-2(K) losses, including destroyed, damaged, abandoned, and captured vehicles.
Related Weapon Systems
BVP M-80Tracked infantry fighting vehicleThe BVP M-80 is a Yugoslav tracked amphibious infantry fighting vehicle built to move infantry with armor protection while adding a 20 mm cannon, coaxial machine gun, and Malyutka anti-tank missile capability. In the Russia-Ukraine War record, the relevant variant is the Slovenian-held M80A, a more powerful production model that Slovenia transferred to Ukraine as armored mobility aid in 2022.
AMX-10PTracked amphibious infantry fighting vehicleThe AMX-10P is a French tracked amphibious infantry fighting vehicle built by GIAT Industries to carry mechanized infantry with a 20 mm autocannon and light armor protection. Its Russia-Ukraine War entry is included with caution: late-2024 reporting tied the vehicle to Ukrainian operations around Kursk, while other defense reporting disputed both official transfer evidence and the Russian identification.
BMD-1Airborne amphibious infantry fighting vehicleThe BMD-1 is a Soviet airborne infantry fighting vehicle built for paratroop units, combining a very light amphibious tracked chassis with the BMP-1-style 73 mm 2A28 Grom gun and anti-tank missile armament. Its low weight and hydropneumatic suspension made it air-droppable, but the same design priorities left limited armor protection. In the Russia-Ukraine War archive, it is documented through Ukrainian Air Assault Forces service around Kramatorsk and Sloviansk in 2014.
BMD-2Airborne infantry fighting vehicleThe BMD-2 is a Soviet airborne infantry fighting vehicle built for paratrooper units, combining a very light amphibious tracked chassis with a 30 mm 2A42 cannon and anti-tank missile launcher. Its air-droppable design gives Russian VDV formations mobile fire support, but the same weight limits leave the vehicle lightly protected against modern anti-armor weapons and artillery fragments documented in Ukraine.
BMD-4/BMD-4MAirborne amphibious infantry fighting vehicleThe BMD-4/BMD-4M is a Russian airborne amphibious infantry fighting vehicle built for VDV units, combining a light, parachutable tracked chassis with the Bakhcha-U turret's 100 mm gun-launcher, 30 mm autocannon, and coaxial machine gun. In the Russia-Ukraine War it appears as a Russian airborne assault vehicle, with open-source loss documentation and later production batches showing how Russia has continued fielding and modifying the type for a drone- and artillery-heavy battlefield.
BMP-3Tracked amphibious infantry fighting vehicleThe BMP-3 is a Soviet-designed, Russian-built tracked amphibious infantry fighting vehicle notable for combining a 100 mm gun-launcher, 30 mm autocannon, and machine guns in a light armored troop carrier. In the Russia-Ukraine War it has appeared in Russian mechanized formations and fire-support roles, where its heavy armament is useful but its protection remains vulnerable to anti-armor weapons and drones.Sources
BMP-2 Infantry Fighting VehiclePublisher: Army Guide | Note: Supports manufacturer, armament, crew, passenger capacity, engine, speed, range, amphibious capability, and other technical details. | Accessed: 2026-06-20BMP-2Publisher: WeaponSystems.net | Note: Supports origin, development period, service entry, Kurganmashzavod production, layout, armament, protection, mobility, and variant background. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Attack On Europe: Documenting Russian Equipment Losses During The Russian Invasion Of UkrainePublisher: Oryx | Note: Directly documents Russian BMP-2 family losses in the Russia-Ukraine War using visual evidence. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Attack On Europe: Documenting Ukrainian Equipment Losses During The Russian Invasion Of UkrainePublisher: Oryx | Note: Directly documents Ukrainian BMP-2(K) losses in the Russia-Ukraine War using visual evidence. | Accessed: 2026-06-20File:BMP-2 Ukraine.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and CC BY-SA 2.0 licensing for the Ukrainian BMP-2 image used in the entry. | Accessed: 2026-06-20